Finding Our Real Dad
by CarsCars2Fanatic
Summary: This one is the one with the triplets! It takes place about three months after the first movie, so about a year and nine months before Foxy gets there. There's lots of adorableness in here, and I've dedicated it to my dad. :) There will be no slash in this, so even though it says Boost/Snot Rod, it doesn't mean what it looks like. :)
1. Halloween Horrors

"Mater, hold still!"

"Naw, I don't wanna wear it! It itches too dang much!" The sounds of a revving engine engine were heard.

"Well, if you'd just hold still until I get your tow hook through the right hole, then it wouldn't itch!"

Lightning rolled over to his friend's scrap yard, confused as to what the three were doing. Jack had told him that he couldn't see what they were doing, and Lightning was getting worried when he heard Jack shouting.

"There, you're done, Mater." Jack said with what sounded like a sigh of relief. Mater barreled out of his scrap yard, wearing what appeared to be a set of green suspenders, odd-looking hubcaps and a hat.

"What are you _wearing_?"

"I'm wearin' Materhosen!." Mater replied with a giant grin. Lightning laughed, then asked if Mariana and Jack were ready yet. Mater shook his roof from side to side, almost making his hat fall off.

"Come on, you guys, it's almost time to go!" Lightning called around his fake fangs. He had gone over to Ramone's a few hours earlier and was a pale white, with drops of 'blood' running down from his roof, and also from the corners of his mouth, where his fangs poked out. Mariana came out, painted blue with a darker line running down the middle of her roof and trunk. She had a roofband with antennae on it attached to her roof, and giggled when she saw Mater.

"You look silly, Mater." Mater grinned and tickled her hood with a tire, making her giggle.

Jack came out, wearing a dreadlock wig with beads and a few feathers in it, along with a tricorn hat (A/N A hat like Jack Sparrow's).

"Arrrgh!" Jack announced triumphantly, brandishing fake pistols.

"A pirate! Cool!" Lightning replied, grinning and baring his fangs at her. "I am Vlad the Vampire! I vant to siphon your gas!" He announced, chuckling evilly. Sally drove out of her lobby, her paintjob also pale white, and sporting slightly smaller fangs than Lightning's. "Ah! A perfect victim for gas-siphoning!" He exclaimed, turning around to greet her.

"Yeah, okay, _Vlad_. Are you three ready? The party starts soon." Sally asked, looking over at Mater, Mariana, and Jack and smiling.

"Yeah, we're ready!" Came three replies.

"Great! Let's go!"

The group drove over to Flo's, where the others were all gathering also.

Red shyly waved to Sally, dressed as the Grim Reaper, his scythe in his side ladder. Sally called hello to him, smiling.

Flo was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, and Ramone, who was parked beside her had painted himself like a devil, complete with an 'S' shaped tail on his trunk, flaming three-pronged pitchforks on his doors, and flames across his hood.

Sheriff was wearing what appeared to be a cowboy hat with a sheriff's badge on it as he chatted with Sarge, who was wearing raggedy tires, his paint was slightly scratched, and he had a tattered old top hat on his roof, the top almost all the way ripped off, so it looked like the hatch on a submarine.

As always, Fillmore was close by Sarge, wearing a dreadlock wig slightly similar to Jack's that he had placed a red, green, and yellow crocheted hat on top of.

Lizzie wasn't wearing an outfit, presumably because she had forgotten about the party, and Luigi was dressed as a banana, while Guido was wearing a long sheet draped over his roof so it obscured his body, with holes cut in it for his eyes and forks.

The party was underway quickly, and half an hour passed without anyone noticing that Doc wasn't there. The townsfolk knew that parties weren't his favorite, so he usually steered clear of them.

The lights at Flo's began to flicker on and off irregularly, and Mariana looked up at them worriedly. If they went out, she'd start panicking, and she knew it. She was deathly afraid of the dark, and she had told nobody but Mater after he made the unknown mistake of leaving her while he went tractor tipping with Lightning one night.

_ 'She had woken up at midnight, and found the area pitch black. She had backed out of the shack and tried to scramble into the nearest corner she could find, but she didn't see the fence and ran hoodfirst into it with a loud clang, which had awoken Jack. Jack had looked around the area worriedly, then heard Mariana whimpering with pain and fear. She had gone to get Mater, and he had come back as fast as his tires would carry him. Mariana had heard him enter his yard, and she had raced straight for him, clinging onto his fender fearfully.'_

She looked up at the lights a few minutes later as they began to flicker more quickly.

Suddenly, with one last flash, the lights went out, and plunged the whole town into darkness, since nobody else had bothered to turn on their lights. Mariana gasped fearfully, and looked around desperately. She couldn't see anything, since the moon had gone behind a large cloud.

She backed up, her eyes shut tight, and backed into someone. They picked her up, and she screamed in panic, wriggling like a fish as they held onto her more tightly, trying to not drop her.

"Calm down, you'll be fine." She heard a low male voice say to her, and she froze in panic. Engine revving wildly, she tried to remain still so whoever was holding her so tightly would set her down and she could flee. Her plan worked, and she was placed onto the ground gently.

She sped away, down the road towards the courthouse. She flew right past it, not even noticing the way the road curved. She soared through the air over the curve, and she tried to turn herself onto her wheels, like a cat, instinctively. She landed on her wheels hard, and pain shot through her axles, but she kept running from the darkened town. She crashed directly into a wrought-iron fence, and bounced off it. She felt her way through the blackness using the fence as a guide, and soon reached what she thought was a gate. She didn't see the sign over the gate that read "CEMETERY", so she entered the gate, and turned on her headlights.

**I know it starts out crappily, but I promise you that it does get better. This one I wrote about a year ago over the summer, so that's why it sucks. :/ Anyways, I don't own Red, Fillmore(who was dressed as a rasta car XD), Sheriff(who was dressed up as Sheriff Buford T. Justice from ****_Smokey and The Bandit_****), Sarge(who was a hobo xD), Doc, Lizzie, Luigi, Flo, Ramone, Lightning, Sally, Mater (Is wearing a reference to another one of my favorite movies ;D)! I wish I did though... Anyways, hope you guys like this story! :D Check ya later, Liz**


	2. Mariana's Nightmare

When she ran into the fence, she jostled the bulbs in her headlights, so only got two weak beams. She looked around, and her dim headlights revealed large, rectangular-shaped boulders. She drove over to one curiously, and saw that there was an inscription on it. She read to herself: "Stanley, born 1827, Died 1907. May he rest in peace."

"Did I drive into a graveyard?!" She asked herself in panic. Another tombstone caught her attention, and she drove over to it. It was the largest one there, which Mariana guessed meant that it was the oldest. This inscription read: "Diane Hudson and Robert Hudson, Birth unknown for both, Died together in 1968 due to arson. Wishing their son the best." Mariana rolled back slightly in surprise. 'Did I just find Doc's parents?'

A large black crow perched on top of the tombstone cawed at her loudly, then took flight into the night just as a large gust of wind blew by her suddenly, making her shudder.

There was a smaller headstone next to the large one. It had obviously not been seen in a long time, because there were pine needles covering it. Mariana brushed the pine needles away, then began to read. "Mirabelle Ravenscroft and Ben 'Herbie' Ravenscroft, Birth unknown for both, Died in 2004 due to arson. Hoping that their daughter, Mariana, is safe."

Mariana stared at her parents' gravestone for the longest time, then smiled. She was glad that Christine and Chick weren't her real parents. Still, it was an entirely new feeling to know that she had actually had parents who cared about her, and loved her. She made a vow to bring Mater tomorrow, if she could find this place again. She heard a low moan, and turned around in horror.

Drifting towards her a few feet above the ground was a slightly opaque, white figure. It was large, and could have easily swallowed her up in one mouthful. She screamed and raced for the gate. She pushed it open, and flew out the opening, crying and screaming in fear.

The gate clanged shut behind her, and The Sorrowful Ghost of Tailfin Pass disappeared as a large pine tree branch crashed to the ground right where Mariana had been minutes before. If the ghost hadn't warned her, she would've been crushed.

She raced back towards town, her engine revving furiously with fear. She saw that the lights still weren't on, and she flew into town, her brakes screeching and her tires squealing. Somebody jumped out of her way as she slid in the road, finally stopping by what she though was Doc's. Her engine racing, she drove to the first car's side she found. She snuggled against their side, they picked her up, and held her tightly.

"You're shaking like a leaf. What's wrong, Mariana?"

She instantly recognized the voice as Sheriff's, but she couldn't speak. It was like her tongue had frozen to the roof of her mouth. All that would come out of her mouth was a small whimper of fear. He gently set her on his hood, and she turned her headlights on, again getting two weak beams of light. They were enough for Sheriff to see how terrified she looked, like she had just seen twenty ghosts all at once. Mariana saw that his eyes became worried from the light of her dim headlights. Little did he know, she had seen one ghost, and one ghost was as bad as seeing twenty in her opinion.

"I-I s-saw a g-g-ghost!" She whispered, her paint paling even more than it already was. Her eyes grew large in her windshield, so she looked like a ghost herself, ready to faint.

"You did?" He blinked in surprise, his blue eyes full of questions. Mariana nodded.

"I ran right into a cemetery fence when I ran away from the dark and damaged my axles and headlights." She said quietly, still looking like she might faint.

"Let's go get Doc, all right?" He said softly, and flicked his own, brighter headlights on when she nodded. He pulled out of his spot at Flo's, then paused as he flipped his turn signal on. She got down from Sheriff's hood and drove alongside him as she told what happened, then suddenly screeched to a halt as she heard an eerie, echoing, low moan.

The bushes a few hundred feet in front of her shook, and a set of lights, glowing the brightest red, like lasers or piercing eyes, peered out of the bushes. She screamed, and sped backwards, hiding behind Sheriff. He picked her up, and set her down on his roof.

"It's all right, Mariana. Just the reflections of somebody's taillights." He said comfortingly, but Mariana didn't think that's what the lights were. She curled up underneath his hat, right behind his bubble light, shaking. Now a few of the others were looking at the lights also, pointing them out to anyone within earshot. Something lunged out of the bushes, snarling, growling and charging for them. The townsfolk all caught just a glimpse of a zombie-mummy car as it roared threateningly. There were wounds scattered across its body that were oozing blood, some of them clumsily wrapped with rotting gauze. The creature had giant fangs, almost two feet in length.

The others scattered quickly as it hissed, charging for the crowd they had formed. Mariana leapt out from under the hat on Sheriff's's roof and fled in a random direction, screaming out of pure horror, crying out of pure terror, tears streaming down her hood and fenders, her axles aching with a searing pain that she barely felt. She ran into something rock solid, then dragged herself along the surface until she reached nothingness and fainted as she fell forwards into the empty space, her hood crumpling.

The lights at Flo's flickered back on, and revealed Doc and Flo, laughing. Doc had removed the mask of his costume, and the others were in awe.

"That was you?" Lightning asked.

"The whole thing, Rookie." Doc chuckled.

Mater was panicking slightly, looking for Mariana, and Red found her, lying limply in the doorway of an abandoned shop. She had run into the brick wall of the building, and managed to drag herself into the doorway before fainting. Red picked her up gently, and attempted to wake her up.

On his fifth try, she opened her eyes slightly, looking up at him. She saw the Grim Reaper costume and panicked again. He held onto her tightly as she struggled to get free of his grasp. He pulled the cloak's hood back, revealing his worried brown eyes. Once she saw it was only Red, she stopped struggling and sank lower in his grasp, panting slightly, tears running down her hood and fenders. He placed her onto his roof, and she curled up again, shaking slightly, her wheels quivering. Red drove back towards Flo's, wanting to give her to Doc once he saw that her axles were bent. Mariana saw Doc holding the mask in a tire and she hid her windshield, whimpering softly out of fear. She inched around the mask, staring it down cautiously, like it would attack her if she took her eyes off it.

"What's the matter, Mariana?" Doc asked. "It's not real, just a mask." He said softly, then noticed that she was limping as she inched away from the mask. He nudged her gently with a tire and asked her if she was all right in a low voice. That seemed to snap her out of her fear, and she told him of her horrific adventure. He set her on his hood, and she curled up, still shaking as Doc set the mask beside her. It still scared the daylights out of her, but at least it wouldn't attack her if it wasn't real.

Doc fixed her axles and her headlights quickly, and rolled out of the clinic with her after about fifteen minutes. He gave Mariana to Mater, and she hugged him tightly, her wheels quivering so badly that she could barely climb up into his bed. She hid her hood and windshield in the side of it and began to cry quietly. None of the others noticed, and just assumed that she was tired. It was, after all, past ten o'clock. Mater rolled back to his scrap yard. Jack appeared out of nowhere, and followed him inside. He set Mariana down on the ground, then pulled up beside her to get a look at her hood. It wasn't badly damaged, just a few dents and chips that would heal in a few weeks. Mater gently put his tire around her and hugged her as she continued crying. She buried her hood in Mater's side, shaking slightly more now. Mater gently took off her roofband, which had miraculously stayed on her roof throughout her horrifying night, and set it aside.

**Hi everyone! :D How are ya'll? I was trying to think what would an abused, tiny-for-her-age, fearfully-shy-of-cars-she-doesn't-know Beetle of about seven also be afraid of? Then it hit me! THE DARK! And what's scarier then the dark while in an old graveyard with a giant black bird croaking at you, and to top it all off, a GHOST. :D I'm so evil. XD Anyways, NEIWICUTB update tomorrow! (phew, I've got to think up simpler titles! XD) Anywayssss, how'd this chapter turn out? And EmilyTheBrave, thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you like this one and my other stories! I haven't said that as of yet, and I should seriously just make someplace where I can go and celebrate your awesomeness. :) As always, THANKS A MILLION AND TWO for reviewing! :D See you tomorrow, Liz**


	3. Early Morning Tickle Fights

He laid his tire over her roof gently, feeling her roof quivering. Mater tore himself away from her side reluctantly, gently saying that he would be back in a few minutes. Mariana curled up in the corner of the couch, looking like a pillow. Mater rolled out of his yard and down the road. He returned about ten minutes later, Mariana's blanket folded neatly and draped across his fender, and one of her favorite things in the entire world besides him in his jaws: a thermos mug full of hot chocolate oil. He rolled back into their shack, and held out the thermos. She took it with a shaking wheel, then held it while Mater draped the blanket over himself and her. Mater turned on the tv remote for the old television he kept under a tarp, so it wouldn't get wet, and flipped through the channels until they found Car Wars, their favorite movie series. Mater laid down at Mariana's side as she snuggled into him to watch the movie, occasionally taking a drink from the thermos which calmed her down. Jack came into the yard and told them that Lightning was looking for them. Just then, Lightning entered and noticed Mater and Mariana.

"There you two are. I was worried about Mariana. She seemed pretty freaked out because of Doc's prank." Mariana said nothing, only snuggled deeper under the blanket and into Mater's side, trying to focus as hard as she could on the movie to avoid showing Lightning how hurt and scared she still was by Doc's prank. Lightning left, then returned shortly. "Mariana, somebody's here to see you." He replied softly, and Mariana looked up, curious. Lightning smiled, and backed out of the way so Mariana's visitor could enter. To Mariana's surprise, Doc rolled into Mater's yard.

"Hi, Doc."

"Evening, Mariana. Evening, Mater." He greeted the two.

Mater gave him a buck-toothed grin and a "Howdy, Doc.".

"I didn't mean to scare you that badly, Mariana. It was just supposed to be a harmless prank." Doc apologized, a sorrowful expression in his eyes.

"It's okay, and I think Lightning was the one who was almost as scared as me." She replied with a giggle.

"I heard that!" She giggled even more as Lightning's defensive shout came from the road. Doc chuckled, then looked at the television with slight interest.

"What are you two watching?"

"Car Wars: Revenge of the Civics. My favorite one." Mariana replied happily.

"Mind if I watch it with you? I haven't seen that one in years." Doc asked.

"Sure, we don't mind." Mariana smiled as he rolled over next to her and parked by the shack to watch the movie. She turned her attention back to the movie, which was at the part where Obi-Wan Chrysler was battling with Darth Odyssey on the lava-covered planet of Mulsanne. They watched the movie until the end, although Mariana fell asleep within a few minutes of the end. Doc looked over at Mariana, saw her sleeping, and smiled.

"Good night, Mater. Tell Mariana I said good night also." Doc said softly as he departed for his garage. Mater waved a tire as a goodbye, and gently picked Mariana up. He wrapped her up in her blanket, then shook his front. He wasn't satisfied with how it draped over her. He folded it up neatly, then tried again. He wrapped her up in the blanket. He turned off the television, then laid down gratefully at Mariana's side. He curled a tire around Mariana, then with Jack snuggled against his other side, he fell asleep quickly. Mariana screamed loudly a few hours later, bolting up as her windshield shot open. Mater was startled awake, and so was Jack.

"What's wrong, Mariana?"

"I-I had a bad dream!" She replied, shaking visibly, her eyes wide. Mater gave her a worried look, then snuggled against her side. She hugged him tightly, still shaking.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mater asked quietly, laying his tire on her roof gently. Mariana nodded, and then told the two what had happened earlier that night. By the time she was done, Mater had given her a comforting hug. Mariana had never experienced anything like a true hug before, so she didn't know what to do. Mater set her down gently and he said that the gravestone she had found most likely was her parents'. She sighed with relief, and snuggled deeper into her blankets and Mater's side. She fell asleep again, and the two sighed. Mater laid back down again, smiling gently at Mariana's hood, which was the only thing visible from underneath the blanket. He left quietly to go get some more sleep, something that Jack was already getting.

Mariana woke up a few hours later, and dragging her blanket with her, she drove out into the cold morning air to the tv. She turned on the tv to a cartoon channel, then settled down in front of it. She laid down and watched cartoons for about fifteen minutes, then she fell asleep, covered up in the blanket, the low drone of the cartoons comforting.

Lightning was the first one awake in the morning, and rolled past Mariana and the television, trying to sneak up on Mater as a prank. He reversed when he realized that the television was on, and he went to turn it off. He saw Mariana lying on the ground just as he was about to turn it off, and smiled as he noticed the way she had fallen asleep. She ended up asleep with her back bumper up in the air, like a dog's play bow position. Her blanket was slipping into a heap on her left side, and Lightning picked it up and laid it back over her again. She sighed in her sleep and rolled over, cracking her windshield open slightly. She saw a blob of red until her vision came into focus, then she realized it was Lightning. She sighed softly, looking at him blankly with a soft smile, still half asleep.

"Good morning, Sleepy." He said softly, grinning as she stretched and yawned.

"Hi, Lightning." She said softly, looking like she was going to fall asleep again. She drove towards him slowly, still tired, and he gently lifted her up. She snuggled into his fender as he held her, falling asleep again. He wrapped her into her blanket, and gently set her onto his hood as he went over to say good morning to Sally. As soon as she drove out of her lobby, she caught sight of Lightning and Mariana sleeping on his hood.

"Looks like somebody had a late night last night." She said softly, kissing Lightning good morning.

"Yeah, she was watching Car Wars last night, and must have went to bed around eleven. Then, I heard her scream, so she must have had a nightmare at about two, and fallen back asleep. This morning, I found her asleep in front of Mater's television with cartoons on, so something must have scared her again." Sally patted Mariana gently, and was surprised when Mariana latched onto her tire with her two front tires. Sally gently hovered Mariana over her hood, so she wouldn't fall and get hurt. Mariana let go of Sally's tire in her sleep, and curled up on her hood. Sally smiled, looking down at the tiny Beetle that was about as big as her tire.

"She's so little." Sally said softly, seeing how little Mariana was when she curled up. Mariana sighed softly in her sleep, and Sally smiled. A short while later, Mariana cracked her windshield open again and yawned, then looked around, confused. She realized that she was on Sally's hood, and smiled at her sleepily.

Sally laughed, then replied, "Good morning, Mariana. Have a nice nap?" Mariana nodded, and Lightning tickled her. She squealed, and looked around for a safe place to hide. Sally backed away from Lightning quickly, holding onto Mariana so she wouldn't fall.

"Come on, let's try and outrun him, okay, Mariana?" Sally laughed.

Mariana giggled and said, "Okay!" Sally drove around her motel, Mariana curled up on her hood, Lightning laughing as he chased after them. Mariana peeked at Lightning, and giggled. He laughed and went faster, catching up to them and pulling up alongside Sally.

"Stickers, no!" Sally laughed as he tickled Mariana mercilessly. Mariana squealed and wiggled around in Lightning's grasp, giggling wildly. Sally began tickling her too, and soon Mariana was shrieking with laughter and squirming like a fish, but the two wouldn't let her go. Finally, Lightning pulled away, laughing breathlessly. Mariana jumped into Sally's grasp, the two still giggling.

"That wasn't funny!" Mariana giggled.

"Okay, how about now?" Lightning said, grabbing her and tickling her as she squealed and shrieked and giggled.

"Sally, help!" Mariana giggled, squirming around in Lightning's grasp. Sally began tickling her again, laughing as Mariana squealed with laughter.

"This isn't helping!" Mariana exclaimed around a long squeal.

"Yeah it is, I'm helping Lightning." Sally laughed along with Lightning, then the two finally stopped to let Mariana catch her breath. Mariana yawned, and Lightning nudged Sally with a tire.

"Looks like she's still tired, let's tickle the sleep out of her!" Mariana squealed and darted into Lightning's cone, and Lightning began laughing with Sally. Mariana darted back outside the cone, but wasn't fast enough to evade Lightning. He caught her and began tickling her all the way over to Flo's as he drove alongside Sally, who occasionally tickled Mariana as well.

Finally, Mariana sprang out of Lightning's grasp and hid behind Sheriff, who did nothing except look at her in his sideview mirrors. Just when she was about to drive out from behind him, he turned around in a flash and began tickling her, laughing as she struggled out of his grasp. He chased her around Flo's, finally pinning her gently to the ground on her roof, trunk, and hood with a tire that was nearly as big as she was and tickling her at the same time. "I've got you now, Missy." He chuckled, tickling her. She giggled and squealed as she tried to get free, kicking at his tire with her own, but nothing she tried worked. Sheriff let her up, and sent her racing playfully away with one last tickle.

She darted past Lightning, who pulled out behind her and pinned her to the ground like Sheriff had. He tickled her longer than Sheriff, then let her up. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he laughed.

"It's on now!" He exclaimed as Mariana squealed and hid behind Flo, who gave her a smile and tickled her also, before she gave Sally her coffee. Mariana hid behind Fillmore, who soon was involved in a game of hide and seek with her. She hid behind a telephone pole, trying not to giggle. Fillmore drove right past her, then turned around and spotted her. She had been caught! She raced away, giggling. Fillmore soon tagged her, then told her to go ask Sarge to play, and told her that he was a really good hider.

**'Car Wars'! :D XD Sorry for uploading so late, I had to babysit. :/ Anyways, I think this chapter really shows you how Mater and Mariana have bonded. I want it to be like a father/daughter thing, so please don't think of it as anything other then that? :) You guys know the drill, Please don't steal, and read and review?! Thank you all very much! See you tomorrow, Liz!**


	4. Hide and Seek, Pretty Please?

She did, and was surprised to see him sigh, then agree to play. "Go hide."

She did, and he pulled out of Flo's, counting to himself.

"Ready or not, here I come!" He called out, before driving in the direction he had last seen Mariana drive off. He saw Fillmore's beaded curtain rustling, and heard hushed voices behind it. Sarge sighed, and drove up to Fillmore's 'door'.

"Awww, man you found us!" Fillmore sighed, looking out at Sarge from behind the curtain. "Bad trip, man." He declared, turning to Mariana, who was huddled beside him, trying not to giggle.

"Now you two have to count." Sarge said, watching as Mariana and Fillmore both closed their windshields and began to count in turn, Fillmore starting, then Mariana following with the next number. Sarge rolled his eyes and drove off to hide in his Surplus Hut, making the others who were watching laugh.

"Hmmm, I wonder where he went, man." Fillmore said, looking around.

"I think I know." Mariana said with a giggle, then pointed to Sarge's home with a wheel.

"Let's go see, man." Fillmore replied leisurely, then the two drove off to Sarge's, where Fillmore knocked on the steel door and asked if Sarge was inside.

"No, there's nobody home." Sarge called out, trying to disguise his voice. Mariana wasn't buying the trick, and scrambled onto some oil drums that were clustered by an open window. She hopped through the window, and soon found Sarge, standing by the door, trying to disguise his voice and fool Fillmore.

"Hi, Sarge!" Mariana called, startling him.

"You found me." He replied with slight surprise in his voice. He opened the door, and came out, Mariana in tow. "She found me." He still couldn't believe that Mariana had found him her first time, when Fillmore hadn't when he had tried previous times.

"Far out, man." Fillmore nodded approvingly at Mariana, who giggled bashfully.

"Now it's your turn, Sarge!" She giggled, speeding away abruptly. Fillmore chuckled and drove off after her.

Sarge chuckled, then began to count. He stopped suddenly, and looked around at the others over at Flo's. "Anyone else want to count? I've got things to do in my shop."

Lightning and Sally volunteered to tag team against Fillmore and Mariana. The two counted to ten, then went off in search of the two VW models. Sally found Mariana, while Lightning found Fillmore.

"Why are you guys seeking? I thought Sarge was gonna do it." Mariana looked up at Lightning, confused.

"He said he had some things to do in his surplus hut." Sally replied.

"So now it's a tag team game? Far out, man." Fillmore commented, then he and Mariana went over to Flo's to count.

The two counted to ten, then called out, "Ready or not, here we come!" Mariana listened for noises from any of the shops that might suggest someone was inside. She spotted something red, and shot towards it as it went around a corner.

"Aha! I've got you, Light-Oh, sorry, Red!" She had scared the poor fire truck out of his mind, but he quickly recovered and smiled. He pointed with a tire towards Sally's motel, then winked and went back to watering his flowers. Mariana's face turned devious, then she found Fillmore, and told him about Red's hint. Fillmore rolled over to Sally's, and Mariana followed him. They looked behind every cone, then shared a glance before heading for the back of the lobby. Mariana drove along under the windows easily, and Fillmore hung back. Mariana slipped inside the lobby easily, then looked around, confused. There didn't seem to be anybody here.

"Sally?" She called out, on a hunch. "Red wants to see you."

"He does?" Sally replied, popping up from behind her desk. When she saw Mariana standing there, giggling, she knew she'd been caught. "Clever!" Sally said, laughing. Mariana drove out of the lobby after Sally, then her and Fillmore set off to find Lightning.

"If I know anything about Lightning, he'll be down at the Butte." Mariana said. She stole a quick glance over at Flo's, and knew she was right: Doc wasn't there. "Let's go!" The pair drove to the Butte, which was oddly devoid of a red racecar. She gasped as she had an idea, then took off back towards town, with Fillmore following after. She found Lightning there, cuddling with Sally. "Found you!" She declared proudly.

Lightning laughed. "You sure did."

As the day wore on, she managed to get everyone involved in a giant hide and seek game, even Doc and Sheriff. Once she had found the last remaining car, Red, she laid down at Flo's as it was starting to get dark. She laid down next to Sheriff, and was asleep a few minutes later, curled up into a ball. He picked her up gently and laid her on his hood so she wasn't lying on the pavement. She draped herself across Sheriff's hood as she slept, and the others laughed quietly.

"Looks like someone's worn out." Doc said quietly, chuckling.

"I don't think I've ever seen her this tired before." Lightning agreed. Sally laughed softly, then snuggled against Lightning's fender. Thunder suddenly jumped onto Lightning's hood, wagging his tail. Lightning looked up at him, confused. Thunder whined eagerly. "What?" Lightning asked, confused. Thunder barked quietly, a note of impatience hanging in it.

"Oh, all right. Just a couple throws though." Lightning sighed, and Thunder hopped off his hood, running around in a circle happily. Lightning and Thunder left Flo's for Willy's Butte, where they occasionally played fetch in the evenings. Sally shook her hood, bewildered, then laughed softly and followed the two.

One by one, the others pulled out of Flo's to go watch Lightning and Thunder screw around. As Sheriff pulled out, Mariana started slipping off his hood backwards. He pushed her back up gently with a tire, then continued after the others. He parked in between Sally and Doc to watch. Lightning produced a long, thick stick from a pine tree that looked well-used. It was the same stick Thunder fetched with all the time, and he was ready for it. He barked impatiently, going into a play bow.

"All right, all right. Be patient." Lightning called out, laughing. Thunder just barked more insistently.

Lightning started out with a few simple throws, then began working his way into higher throws that covered more distance. Thunder jumped up to catch them, then raced back to Lightning, his tail wagging. He barked impatiently when Lightning paused, making the others laugh. Lightning threw one towards the wall, and Thunder flew after it. He raced onto the wall to catch it, and ran down off the wall, the stick in his jaws. The others cheered at his new trick, and he raced over to Lightning, then dropped the stick.

"That was amazing! Great job, Thunder!" Lightning said excitedly, ruffling Thunder's ears. Thunder barked, wiggling happily. "Let's try that one again!" Lightning said, and he threw the stick towards the wall again. Thunder rocketed past Lightning, and charged onto the wall. He leapt off the wall to catch the stick in mid-air, then flipped through the air, accidentally letting go of the stick. The others all gasped as he neared the ground, but he landed safely, and jumped up to catch the stick in his jaws once again. Lightning and the others went completely wild when they saw the amazing catch, then fall, then the next catch.

"Great recovery, amigo!" Lightning said, trapping Thunder in a playful headlock and giving him a head noogie. Thunder growled playfully, and began wrestling with Lightning. Soon the two were rolling around on the track, trying to pin one another as the others cheered and began deciding which would win.

"They'll get into a tie, as usual." Sally told Doc, laughing as she watched Lightning tackle Thunder, sending the two tumbling head over paws and roof over wheels. Thunder barked and nipped Lightning's wheel playfully, then darted out of the way as Lightning swung the same wheel through the air.

"You goofy mutt!" Lightning laughed, as he pinned Thunder to the ground. Thunder grabbed hold of one of Lightning's tires, and growled playfully. Lightning had pinned Thunder, but Thunder flipped Lightning over and pinned him. Their audience laughed; Thunder had clearly won. Thunder let Lightning up, and the two came up towards the others, playfully shoving each other.

"Looks like the match still isn't over." Sally said, driving over to Lightning's side.

"Not yet." Lightning grinned, and tackled Thunder, sending the two tumbling again. Sally laughed, and followed in their wake back to town, the others doing the same. Sheriff looked down at Mariana, amazed that she hadn't woken up from all the noise. Thunder gave Lightning's tire a final playful nip, then fell back to trot happily near Mariana. Sheriff handed her over to Thunder, and Thunder, now with Mariana in his mouth, wagged his tail in thanks and sped up to catch up with Lightning. Mariana dangled limply as she slept, making Lightning laugh as he glanced over at her. The group reached the town, when suddenly Mariana woke up with a loud gasp.

"What's wrong?" Lightning asked quickly.

"I forgot to show Mater the cemetery!" She exclaimed.

"It's late. You two can go tomorrow." Lightning said, relieved.

"Okay." She replied, reaching up and petting Thunder's muzzle, the only thing she could reach. "Can we play Carhunt?" Mariana asked, looking over at Lightning pleadingly.

"If anybody else wants to play, sure." He replied. "Hey, Sal, you want to play Carhunt?"

"I haven't played that game in a long time. Let's do it." She replied, smiling.

"Yay!" Mariana giggled. Thunder set her down, since it was apparent that she wasn't going to fall asleep anytime soon. She drove over to Sheriff and Doc and asked them if they wanted to play. They both declined, but after Doc left, Sheriff reconsidered.

"Count me in." He replied, and Mariana grinned.

"Yay!" Mariana cheered, then she raced back over to the others, Sheriff in tow. "Anybody else want to play Carhunt?" She called out.

Sarge rolled forwards. "Sure. Always up for a challenge."

To his irritation, Fillmore rolled up beside him. "Count me in too, man."

"I guess I've got some time to kill." Ramone replied, grinning.

"Who wants to be 'It'?"

"Let's do it the old fashioned way. Whoever says 'Not it' last is it." A chorus of "Not it!"'s rose into the air, and the others all looked around at one another uncertainly.

"Again. Not it!" Mariana exclaimed, the others quickly following suit.

**Here's the new chapter of FORD(I just love spelling that. XD) This one's all about Lighting and Thunder and Mariana, nothing about the triplets yet. They'll be coming in around the middle of the story, and from then onwards it concerns them, their lives, and the way they act completely adorable. :3 Keep on reading and reviewing! And look for the next part of my short story, Madness! It'll be up soon, so read that too! And EmilyTheBrave, I'm glad that you liked Madness! You'll look forward to what's coming next in it... MWhahahahahaha! Evil moment over... XD Anyways, as you guys can tell, I'm in a great mood, so don't steal my ideas, please? Otherwise, I won't be so happy... :( Anyways, see you guys later, and tomorrow, Liz**


	5. Car Hunt and Stray Cats

Sheriff's exclamation was the last to be heard, and the others looked over at him, chuckling.

"You're it, Sheriff! Since none of us has a bubble light, you can't use yours, okay?" Mariana giggled. Sheriff sighed, then closed his windshield and began to count. The others scattered quickly, and were completely gone by the time Sheriff finished counting. He switched on his headlights, and pulled out of Flo's, peering around in the shadows for one of the others. He found nobody, and sighed. That meant they were all out in the desert somewhere. He drove along the road leading to Tailfin Pass, looking along the road for one of the others. He heard rustling in the bushes, and drove over cautiously. He scanned the bushes, looking for the source of the noise, and saw a grille poking through the bushes that pulled back quickly.

"Come on out and help me find the others." He called, and Sarge rolled through the bushes with a sigh.

"That hippie drove off towards Gear Gorge." Sarge said. Sheriff turned around and began heading that way, his victim in tow. They soon arrived at Gear Gorge, a long, narrow crack in the earth that was accessible only by climbing down the rock face. Sheriff and Sarge shone their headlights down into the gorge, and found Fillmore, sitting in the shadows.

"Bad trip, man." He sighed, climbing out, He switched on his headlights and followed the other two. Sarge and Sheriff drove past a large bush, Fillmore hanging back. When he passed it, it rustled violently. "I found you, man!" Fillmore exclaimed, and Thunder came barreling out, wagging his tail. He barked, and the two caught up to Sarge and Sheriff.

"Great! Now all we have to do is tell him to find Mariana, which should be simple." Sarge said. Thunder obliged, and began sniffing in the area. He looked alertly towards the town, then slowly his front paw began rising.

"Go find them, man." Fillmore said, and Thunder bolted down the street with such force that he surprised the three men. They took off after him, laughing. They had found her now! Thunder stopped suddenly at the entrance to the alleyway behind Luigi's, and sat down facing it. The others caught up to him, and they looked around. He whined softly, and got up, starting to walk into the alleyway, which was only big enough for a single file line.

Sheriff directed his headlights into the alleyway, and saw nothing. But Thunder barked insistently, and Sheriff looked up higher in the beam from his headlights. He saw an odd shape just outside the range of the beams, huddled on top of what looked like a trash can.

Thunder darted into the alleyway, and soon a loud yowl was heard, followed by a loud hissing. Something orange came streaking out of the alleyway, and leapt for Sheriff's hood. He exclaimed loudly, and leapt backwards a few feet. Thunder came streaking out of the alleyway, barking. The orange blur hissed again, and leapt at Fillmore this time, who caught it and placed it on his roof.

"Calm down, man. It's just a stray tabby cat." He replied, looking up at the frightened animal placidly. It was pacing on his roof, meowing loudly.

"Chasing cats, really?" Sheriff sighed, slowly getting over his fear. "Thunder, that's so cliche."

Thunder just looked up at the tabby cat and whined softly as the cat growled and hissed. Fillmore reached up slowly with a tire, and petted the cat gently. It instantly began purring, and settled down.

"I think he's cool now, man." Fillmore said to Sheriff, who was watching Thunder who was watching the cat.

"Great. You found a new friend. Now can we please find everyone else so I can go home? I think I've had enough of a scare for one night." Sarge grumbled.

"Hey, man, I think he likes you." Fillmore said, tossing the cat at Sarge as he grinned and tried not to laugh.

Sarge gasped and caught the cat, who yowled angrily, scratched the paint on his hood with its claws, then leapt back onto Fillmore's roof, curling up and purring. Fillmore chuckled, and Sarge narrowed his eyes angrily.

He muttered something along the lines of "Monster lover", then turned away.

"I think I'll keep him." Fillmore said, looking up at the cat, who was looking down into his windshield, meowing softly.

"He's a bit scrawny for a cat." Sheriff replied.

"He's probably been livin' on garbage for a long time, man." Fillmore said softly, seeming to just barely hear Sheriff. He was too engrossed in the cat, his newfound friend. The cat meowed and swished his tail calmly, looking down at Fillmore with a seemingly unblinking stare. "I'm gonna take Morrison back to my dome. See ya'll on the flipside." Fillmore replied, driving off slowly in the direction of his home.

"I've been found, I'm heading home too. Good luck finding the others, men." Sarge replied, driving off after Fillmore.

"You're not going to leave me, are you?" Sheriff asked Thunder, slightly amused that the other two had waited as long as they did. Thunder barked, and set off for Ramone's. He barked at the building, then looked back at Sheriff, whining intently. "All right, where are they?" Sheriff said softly, and Thunder dashed into the alley behind Ramone's, where a small shape darted at him, giggling.

"There's Mariana." Sheriff said, chuckling as she turned her headlights on. "Now we've just got to find Ramone, Lightning and Sally." Thunder nodded firmly, then set out, Mariana on his back. She had her headlights on yet, and was using them to help Thunder see where he was going. He snuffled along the road, and soon pointed out a cluster of sagebrush, all clumped together. Sheriff and Mariana swarmed the bush, and Ramone loomed over them on his hydraulics.

"Found you!" Mariana shouted happily. Thunder turned right back around, and began sniffing along the road again. He followed an invisible trail out into the desert behind Flo's, and soon reached Willy's Butte. He raced blindly down the trail that led to the track, and raced straight across it. He almost collided with the rock formation as he slid around it, then leapt at Lightning and Sally, who were making out. Sally screamed in surprise, and Lightning jumped out of the way, shouting loudly.

They both turned their headlights on at the exact same time, and saw Thunder, wagging his tail and they could have sworn that he was grinning. Sheriff and Mariana heard the two screaming, and shared a glance.

"Sounds like Thunder's up to his old tricks." Sheriff sighed, and pulled around the side of the rock formation to see Sally and Lightning, both blushing, and Thunder wagging his tail. "Seems to me that he caught you two doin' somethin' that should be saved for indoors." Sheriff grinned, which made the two blush even more.

Mariana looked up at him, confused, and he chuckled and replied, "You'll learn when you're older." She still looked confused, but sighed and went over to Thunder. He nuzzled her, and she scrambled onto his back.

"Now that Lightning and Sally are *yawn* found, can I go take a *yawn* nap?" Mariana asked, laying down on Thunder's back. The others all chuckled and agreed that it was late. They all headed back towards town, and each went their separate ways. The next morning, Thunder was startled awake by a completely different song than Sarge's bugle or Fillmore's Jimi Hendrix record. It was turned down so it wouldn't wake him, but it had anyway. He laid in the shed by Mater's side, listening to the beautiful opening notes of Boston's 'More Than A Feeling'.

"_I looked out this morning, and the sun was gone. Turned on some music, to start my day. I lost myself in a familiar song. I closed my eyes, and slipped away! It's more than a feelin' (more than a feelin'), when I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feelin'). I begin dreamin' (more than a feelin'), 'till I see Marianne walk away. I see my Marianne walkin' away. So many people have come and gone. Their faces fade as the years go by. Yet I still recall as I wander on. As clear as the sun in the summer sky! It's more than a feelin' (more than a feelin'), when I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feelin'). I begin dreamin' (more than a feelin'), 'till I see Marianne walk away. I see my Marianne walkin' away. When I'm tired, and thinkin' cold, I hide in my music, forget the day. And dream of a girl I used to know. I closed my eyes, and she slipped away. She slipped away, she slipped away! It's more than a feelin' (more than a feelin'), when I hear that old song they used to play (more than a feelin'). I begin dreamin' (more than a feelin'), 'till I see Marianne walk away!"_

**Hi, all you avid fanfic readers! How'd you guys like this? I promise that it'll get better soon, just bear with me, please? :) Anyways, I missed you guys over the week, and boy, am I glad to be back to writing fanfics! :D Can't wait to see how you guys like this chapter! Read, review, and don't steal, please? Thank you very much! And EmilyTheBrave, I command you to feel better! Please? :D**


	6. Thunder and Lennon's Age-Old Battle

He padded out into the yard to find Mariana, lying on the ground in front of the television again, the television turned to cartoons, her little alarm clock that Sally had given her going off. She was sound asleep, and Thunder looked at her fondly. He shut her alarm off with a paw, then pulled her blanket over her more. He laid down beside her, and fell asleep again. Mariana woke up a few hours later, and looked at the clock. She looked around in confusion, then saw Thunder, who was just waking up for the second time.

"You figured out how to turn it off." She said softly, petting his side. He wagged his tail and yawned. "I couldn't figure out how to turn it off, but I didn't think it would go off that early." She apologized for waking him up. He licked her side once he stood up, and she giggled and climbed onto his back. He trotted out of the yard, and over to Flo's. Fillmore was parked there, playing with the orange tabby cat he had recently adopted. Thunder froze when he saw the cat, and Mariana followed his gaze. "Oh, a kitty!" Mariana scrambled off Thunder's back and over to Fillmore and Morrison. The cat looked at her warily, but was soon wrapped around her, purring happily as she petted him. "Good kitty." She said softly, petting him gently with a tire. "What's his name?" She said, looking up at Fillmore.

"Morrison." Fillmore replied, smiling as the cat hopped onto his roof.

"You should name him Lennon instead." She said, watching the cat.

"Lennon? Why Lennon, man?" He asked.

"He looks a little like John Lennon." Mariana replied, cocking her roof and looking up at Morrison.

"Good idea, man." Fillmore smiled, looking up at his pet. "Lennon it is." Mariana giggled, then went back over to Thunder, who had laid down across from Fillmore and Lennon.

Flo drove over to the Café to open it, and saw Fillmore's cat. "What's that, Fillmore?"

"Lennon. He's my new cat, man."

"He seems like a nice cat. Where'd you find him? I thought Thunder was the only domestic animal around for miles." She said, smiling fondly at Thunder, who wagged his tail.

"You can thank Thunder for that, man. He chased Lennon out of the alleyway behind Luigi's."

"Thunder, chasing cats is so cliche. Stick to squirrels, silly boy." Flo laughed, petting him. Thunder wagged his tail and stood up, Lennon tensing up instinctively. Thunder just bolted past Fillmore and Lennon, barking loudly, as he chased a squirrel past Doc's. Flo rolled her eyes and laughed. "What can I get you four? I figure Thunder wants a steak, and Mariana wants a can of oil, Fillmore the same, and what about Lennon?"

"We'll try the steak, man." Fillmore said, looking up at his new pet fondly. Lennon rubbed his head against Fillmore's roof, purring loudly. "Come down, Lennon. Your food's here." Fillmore said a few minutes later, and Lennon obediently hopped down onto the ground. He sat at Fillmore's side, meowing softly. Fillmore petted him, chuckling as he arched his back and began to purr. He rubbed against Fillmore's wheel, purring loudly, like a tiny motorboat. Fillmore set Lennon's steak down and the cat pounced on it almost immediately.

He jumped back onto Fillmore's roof when he was done, and purred sleepily, the tip of his tail swishing lazily.

Thunder came back with the squirrel riding on his head, and Lennon spotted it quickly, his bright green eyes glittering. In a flash, he had leaped at the squirrel, which took off just as quickly, and Lennon missed it by seconds. He landed on Thunder's back, and hissed angrily, his ears back, his tail thrashing from side to side. Thunder growled deeply, showing his teeth, protecting his steak from this new creature. Lennon swiped at the back of Thunder's head, and intentionally missed, making more of a threat than a casual swipe. He popped his claws out, feeling them sink into Thunder's flesh, then hopped off his back, pushing down so his claws sunk deeper.

Thunder yelped loudly, and chased the cat around Flo's angrily, snapping his teeth within inches of Lennon's tail. Lennon scrambled up onto Fillmore's roof for protection, hissing at Thunder, who was staring up at the cat with pure loathing in his eyes. He uttered one last low growl, then stalked off to finish his steak.

"Lennon, cool it, man. Can't you and Thunder just get along?" Fillmore scolded, looking up at the cat. Lennon just flashed Thunder a hateful glance, then went back to being a sweet, orange tabby cat, purring and rubbing his head against Fillmore's roof. Thunder had seen the hateful glance Lennon had given him, but he had ignored it. He looked up as Jack arrived, then yipped happily.

"Where'd the cat come from, Fillmore?" She asked, yawning slightly.

"Thunder found him last night while we were playin' Carhunt, man." Fillmore replied, watching as Lennon jumped down to investigate Jack.

He purred and rubbed along her side, making her giggle and scratch gently behind his ears with a tire. He purred even louder and the tip of his tail started twitching. She giggled again, then patted him gently before going over to say good morning to Thunder and Mariana.

"What's on the agenda today, you guys?" She joked, grinning. Her grin faded as she saw Thunder sigh and turn away from Fillmore and Lennon, and indirectly, her. "What's wrong, Mutt?" She asked, petting his side. "Hey, Mariana. Come look at this." Jack replied quietly after withdrawing her wheel from Thunder's fur and finding it covered with blood. Mariana gasped when she saw the blood, and petted along Thunder's back, also withdrawing her wheel and finding it covered in blood. She parted Thunder's fur and found the puncture wounds from Lennon's claws, deep and oozing blood that was matting his fur.

"Oh, poor Thunder." She said sadly. "Come on, let's go get Lightning." She said softly, and the three got up and left Flo's. They sped inside Lightning's cone, and found him awake. "Lightning, Fillmore got a new cat, and it attacked Thunder!" Mariana said, pointing out the window for emphasis.

"Where did it get him?"

"Thunder, lay down." He did, and Mariana parted his fur so Lightning could see the punctures. "Wow, that cat sure got him good. That was the only spot? Nowhere else?"

"Not that I know of, why?"

"That way, he didn't get cut up too badly. The only thing to do is to shave him, at least until those heal." Thunder yelped and scrambled upright. He backed up until he hit a wall, then looked around for a way of escape.

"Thunder, come on. It won't be that bad." Mariana replied, petting him gently. Thunder whined, and shook his head, 'No.'

"Oh, Thunder, you'll be fine. All I need to do is figure out where I put those scissors." Thunder looked around frantically, then darted outside the cone. Lightning sighed, then went to go find Thunder. It was dark before he finally gave up, then went back to his cone. Thunder whined quietly, watching Lightning searching from his hiding spot. He crept out from behind the wall of an abandoned building where he had been hiding, then crept towards Flo's, hiding behind a pillar at Ramone's. He watched as Fillmore departed Flo's with Lennon on his roof, curled up. Thunder growled softly, and decided to wait until Fillmore set the cat down. He didn't have long to wait, before he heard Fillmore say to Lennon: "Go have fun, man. Just be back by morning, all right?"

Lennon purred and hopped off Fillmore's roof, trotting up the street merrily, his tail swishing. Fillmore ducked into his dome to sleep, and Thunder watched as Lennon kept trotting up the street towards him. He was just about to go after the cat when it paused, staring at Thunder's hiding place intently. Thunder hardly dared to breathe until the cat passed by his hiding spot, then he lunged for the cat, growling deeply. Lennon hissed and took off like a shot, streaking towards Tailfin Pass. Thunder charged after him, growling and barking and snarling angrily. Lennon slid to a stop abruptly and slashed at Thunder's nose with a paw, his claws out. Thunder yelped as his nose was shredded , then snapped at Lennon, growling.

Lennon yowled and took off again, Thunder chasing him even faster, blood flying backwards into his fur and onto the ground, leaving little droplets in a trail. He nipped Lennon's tail, making him hiss and swat at Thunder again, who bit Lennon's paw. Lennon screeched and attacked Thunder, biting and clawing and scratching. Thunder bit down hard on Lennon's tail again, satisfied when he heard a _crunch_. Lennon screeched and bit down on Thunder's ear, making Thunder scream in pain. He pawed at Lennon furiously, trying to get him off. Lennon dodged his paws and bit one, making Thunder yelp in pain and begin limping as his paw began to swell rapidly. Thunder went into a somersault, crushing the cat beneath him, then when he came out of it, Lennon was on the ground after releasing his hold in shock. Thunder snarled and bit Lennon's back paws, and Lennon yowled and rolled upright, limping. He tried to bolt away as fast as he could, but Thunder grabbed him by the back of the tail. Lennon hissed and swiped at Thunder again with a paw, Thunder letting go just in time. Lennon fled in the direction of Tailfin Pass, Thunder following. He closed in on Lennon and was about to snap at Lennon again, but was nearly choked by something that came from behind him. He looked down quickly, and saw a rope around his neck. He squirmed frantically, trying to get the loop into his mouth. He was just about to bite down when he heard a familiar shout. "Thunder, no!" Flo scolded, coming out of the darkness, the other end of the rope in her wheels. She drove past Thunder, who sunk lower to the ground until he collapsed onto it, panting heavily and whining. He knew he'd been bad, and was really going to get it this time. He winced, cowering in fear, ready to be swatted at again. To his surprise, Flo scolded Lennon, and shooed him away after he remained a few hundred feet from where Thunder lay. She came back over to Thunder, looking him over worriedly.

**Sorry for the day late upload, guys. I was helping fund research for kids cancer. :) How does the fight look between Thunder and Lennon? I tried to make it sound like a real dogfight. (Or another term would be a catfight. XD) Remember, this isn't one of my favorite fanfictions that I've written, so I'm super, duper, SUPER sorry if it's horrible. We will be getting to the triplets soon, I promise. :3 Anyways, look for NEIWICUTB later! :D See you soon, Liz**


	7. Thunder's Sickness

"I saw what happened this morning, and knew that you weren't done with him. So I followed you two out here to see what would happen, and to try to stop the two of you. Looks like I was right." She said gently, watching as he slowly stood up, then tried to stand on his swollen paw. He took two steps, then began limping, holding the paw that Lennon had bitten off the ground. "Here climb on my hood, poor boy." She said sadly, helping him up. He laid down, and she saw the way that his nose had been slashed by Lennon. "That looks like it hurts; we'd better get you to Doc right now." She said, then she drove back to town as quickly as she could. Thunder whined as his nose, ear, and paw throbbed painfully, along with various other wounds Lennon had managed to inflict on him. When she arrived back in town, she saw that Doc's was dark. "Oh, dear, he's asleep. Here, let's go back over to the café." She said, then set him down gently in her café lobby as she went to get gauze.

She returned shortly, and began bandaging his ear and paw. She stitched up some of the deeper cuts, then rolled backwards slightly to look him over and make sure she hadn't missed any deep cuts. "I've done the best I can for now, sweetie. And I still don't know what to do about your nose, so be careful." She said softly, petting his head gently. He whined softly, but didn't move. The sun was beginning to rise by this time, and he whimpered.

Not only hadn't he gotten any sleep, but he had just been beaten by a lousy cat. That didn't make him feel better at all, only worse. "Poor boy." Flo said softly, before she picked him up gently and set him on her hood. He whined and began licking his nose, trying to stop it from bleeding. "If that creature has rabies, I don't know what you'd do, since you're covered in bites." She said worriedly. Thunder whined softly, and gave up trying to heal his poor nose, laying his head down. He was seeing double, which quickly multiplied to quadruple. His paw, ear, and nose were aching and throbbing intensely, along with the other wounds.

The pain was almost too much to bear, and certainly too much to even move. Gradually, his whole head began to ache, and he pawed at it, trying to make the aching pain go away. Nothing he did worked, and eventually, his whole body began to ache. Flo set him down on the pavement gently, and he staggered to his feet. He began hobbling off towards Willy's Butte, and Flo had gone to get things ready for the upcoming day, so she hadn't seen him disappear.

It began drizzling, which made the ground start steaming as it cooled off, fog rising up in great clouds that lingered heavily. Within fifteen minutes, the whole area was in a giant fog cloud.

Thunder staggered through the fog, confused. _Now, where was the cactus patch? _The fog was making it impossible to see, and the fact that there was four of everything, according to his vision, made locating anything even harder for him. With a sudden yelp, he fell right off the cliff and into the cactus patch. Covered with cacti, he scrambled out, then began to hobble back towards where he thought town was.

By this time, the rain was nearly pouring down and was freezing cold, preventing the fog from lifting. He made it back to town, and began to smell steak. His mouth began to water hungrily, and it wasn't long before he was drooling. He followed his nose to Flo's, and the fog lifted slightly. He heard someone scream, and he whined. The screaming was hurting his ears.

"Thunder?" Sally asked in shock.

Standing before her was a drooling, mangled-up, cactus-covered monster of a dog with gauze wrapped around it in some areas, blood in its fur, and due its hulking size paired with the fog, it looked positively rabid, out of its mind with murder.

Thunder whined softly, then laid down beside her. Sally sighed with relief, then looked him over again. She saw now that he was stitched up in a few places, gauze was wrapped around one of his paws, one of his ears, his nose was shredded, he had long cuts running along his sides and back, and he was covered in cactus.

She petted him gently, and Thunder whined, pawing at her tire feebly. "Thunder what's wrong?" Sally asked gently, and she saw all the bites that were scattered across his head and muzzle. Flo shrieked when she returned and saw him, then drove over to the two.

"Oh my..." Flo gasped as Thunder whined. His head was aching again, and he fainted. Sally picked him up and set him on her hood.

"Flo, you don't think he's got rabies, do you?" Sally asked in horror.

"He did get bitten a lot by that cat Fillmore took in. They were fighting last night, and if I hadn't stopped him, the two would've fought to the death."

"We need to get him to Doc, _now_." Sally said, driving over to Doc's, Flo following. Doc was just coming out of his garage when Flo and Sally arrived.

"What's the problem, you two? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"It's Thunder! He was bitten by Fillmore's cat!"

"Fillmore doesn't have a cat."

"That's because Thunder chased it out of the alley behind Luigi's two nights ago, and Fillmore took it home with him. Yesterday morning, he brought it over to my café, and it attacked Thunder because it landed on his head accidentally. It left him alone after a few minutes, but I could tell that it wasn't finished with him, and I could see that Thunder wanted revenge. Last night, I saw him hiding by Ramone's as the cat went up the street from Fillmore's, heading right for him. He chased the cat up near Tailfin Pass, and I followed, trying not to let either one get hurt. I was too late, because by the time I caught up with them, they were already fighting, and looked like they would fight to the death. I threw a lasso around Thunder as the cat ran off, and he was covered in scratches and bites. I brought him back here around four this morning, and tried to patch up some of his more serious injuries. I set him down to go get things ready in my café for today, and when I came back out, it was raining, foggy, and Sally had screamed. I drove over and saw Thunder next to her. He looked like he had just come back to life after being dead, and then he fainted! Oh, I hope he just doesn't have rabies!" Flo finished quickly, looking at Thunder worriedly.

"He most likely does. You said that cat was lurking in a back alley when Thunder found it?"

Flo nodded.

Doc lifted Thunder off Sally's hood and examined him closely. "That cat most likely did have rabies, because Thunder's got it now."

"What can we do? Will we be able to save him?"

"You two go back over to the café and calm down. He'll be fine. We're lucky that he's unconscious right now, or he'd be very aggressive." Doc replied, taking Thunder into the clinic. He exited the clinic in about an hour, going over to Flo's.

"Is Thunder all right?" Lightning asked worriedly.

"He should be fine now. Flo and Sally brought him over just in time." Doc replied, and Flo and Sally sighed with relief.

"Lennon really had rabies, man?" Fillmore asked in disbelief.

"He must have gotten it the first night you had him, Fillmore." Doc explained.

"Bad trip, man."

Just then, Thunder hobbled out of Doc's slowly, blinking in the bright sunlight. Mariana gasped and rushed over to him quickly, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, Thunder, you're okay!" She exclaimed, burying her hood into his fur. He winced slightly, then moaned and licked her roof. "What's wrong?"

"That feline used him as a scratching post, so he'll be sore for a while, Mariana." Doc said.

"Not to mention he'll hate cats for quite a while." Lightning said, and the others laughed. Thunder hobbled over to Flo's and laid down, Mariana laying beside him and falling asleep quickly. Doc took notice and asked Lightning if she had been up late.

"When I told her I couldn't find him, she refused to go to sleep until he was found. Nothing I tried worked."

Thunder moaned as he curled up around Mariana. He felt like he had just been hit by twenty trucks. He still had a dull throb in his head, and he fell unconscious again.

When he awoke, he found that it was dark. Once his eyes adjusted, he discovered that he was in his bed, and Jack was lying next to him, but no Mariana. He staggered upright, then hobbled over to the doorway. He hobbled out into the hallway, and heard low voices. He followed the sound of the voices until he was just outside the living room.

"Thunder still hasn't woken up yet. Do you think he'll be okay?" Mariana's voice asked, and Thunder detected a note of fear in it.

"I'm sure he'll be fine in the morning. He was out all night last night, remember that. He just needs some sleep." Lightning's voice was low as he tried to reassure Mariana.

"But he was just so... 'dead-looking' today!" Mariana exclaimed quietly, and her voice held a threat of tears. Thunder was sure that her windshield was brimming full of them.

"I know, I know. But he's all right now, I promise."

"Are you sure?" Mariana's voice quavered, and Thunder was sure she was crying now. "B-Because I don't want him to die. H-He was my first true friend that I've ever met, and I don't want him to leave." Thunder heard her crying softly, and it just about broke his heart. All that she had told him in the past was true, and he wanted more than anything to hobble into the room and show her that he was fine, but he didn't. He made it as far as standing in the doorway, then he backed up a couple steps.

Lightning was facing him, talking to Mariana on the couch. Lightning saw Thunder, but didn't say anything. Thunder waited and listened to what Lightning replied. "I've never made a promise that I can't keep, and I've never broken a promise." Lightning said firmly, and Thunder wagged his tail. He knew that Lightning never went back on a promise. Thunder listened for Mariana's response, which didn't come for a few minutes.

"O-Only if you're s-sure..." Her voice quavered again, then was muffled slightly as Lightning pulled her into a giant hug. The two stayed like that for a while, then Lightning said, "Any better now?"

Mariana nodded, and Lightning said softly, "Go on, back to bed. I have a feeling someone is waiting for you there." Thunder hobbled as quickly as he could back into his room, laying down in his bed hastily. A few seconds later, he heard Mariana come in, sniffing quietly. He raised his head up and watched as she froze when she saw him move. She darted to his side and hugged him tightly.

"You're okay? Really?" Thunder licked her side happily, wagging his tail. Mariana acted like she hadn't seen him in over a year until she fell asleep, curled up at his side. Thunder wagged his tail, then curled up around her, moaning slightly from the pain in his paw. He got comfortable, then drifted off to sleep quickly.

The next morning, he woke up later than normal. Once his vision came into focus, he saw a large plate with an equally large steak on it sitting in front of him. From the smell of it, it was still warm, and his tail wagged. He staggered to his feet and just as he was about to eat, Mariana came in to wish him good morning. "Lay back down, I'll get it."

Thunder obeyed, and Mariana cut up the steak, letting more of the delicious smell out of the meat. She picked up one of the pieces of steak and held it out to him. "You saved me from those awful cars, and now it's time that I repaid you."

Thunder sighed in defeat, and the steak was soon gone from the plate. Mariana took the plate back over to Flo's, then came back over to snuggle with Thunder. By the time she got back, Thunder had fallen asleep again. Mariana giggled as one of his back paws twitched, then she laid her blanket over him and went to watch cartoons. Lightning came in later to find Mariana, and found her laying next to Thunder, petting his side gently. Lightning smiled and rolled into the room.

"Is he any better than yesterday?"

"Yeah, he's lots better."

"Good. I knew he would be. He just needed a little time is all. I'm going to start racing season tomorrow, so it's probably just going to be you, Sally, Thunder, Red, and Lizzie here. Is that all right?"

"Yeah, it's okay."

Lightning smiled and petted Thunder gently. "All right." He looked at Thunder thoughtfully. "I'll keep an eye on him. You go out and have fun."

"What should I do? Thunder makes everything boring seem fun."

"Hmmm... Why don't you go and race Jack at Willy's Butte?"

"Okay! Thanks, Lightning."

"No problem."

Mariana left the room, and Lightning sighed as he petted Thunder gently. "What did you get into, Thunder?" He didn't expect an answer, and he got none from the sleeping dog.

Mariana returned a few hours later, panting slightly and covered with caked-on mud. "What happened to you?" Lightning asked.

"The track's all muddy, so Jack and I had a mud-wrestling contest!"

Lightning rolled his eyes and chuckled. His gaze drifted to Thunder, and he said softly, "Thunder would've liked that. He would've been down there with you two for hours, then when he came back you wouldn't have been able to tell there was a dog under all the mud." He laughed softly, petting Thunder gently.

"Now it's your turn to wrestle Jack, Lightning. She even said so."

"All right, but go get washed up before you watch Thunder." He sighed, and Mariana left to go find Red. She was back in an amazingly long time, and as soon as she came through the doorway, Lightning saw why she was so late. Her base color was a gleaming white with a glossy finish, a blue stripe running from her front bumper, over her hood, over her roof, then down her trunk to her back bumper, a red stripe placed about two inches away from the blue stripe that followed the path of the blue stripe, a white stripe between the red and blue stripes, and eggshell-colored circles on her hood, sides, and trunk that were outlined in black and had the number 53 inside them.

"Hey, you changed your paintjob back!" Lightning grinned.

"It is similar, yeah, but I never had this one before." She replied, turning around and revealing the circle on her trunk to Lightning.

Lightning chuckled, then asked why she had decided to change paintjobs.

"I searched around, and found out that this was my dad's paintjob."

"So your dad was..."

"That's right. Herbie, the greatest Beetle racecar ever." She giggled. Lighting was staring at her for a long time, then she said, "Jack's still waiting."

"Oh, right! Bye, Mariana!"


	8. The General Lee Comes To Town

Lightning rolled out of the cone, and Thunder awoke shortly after.

"Morning, Thunder." Mariana said softly, and Thunder wagged his tail. She showed Thunder the 53 on her trunk. "That one wasn't there before." Thunder wagged his tail as he stretched and yawned, then Mariana was gone before he could open his eyes. She returned shortly, balancing a large plate with a large steak on her hood. Thunder took the plate from her, and began to eat. He finished quickly, and Mariana took his plate back over to Flo's. She returned with a large bowl filled with something delicious-smelling and set it down in front of Thunder.

"Coffee. Careful, it's hot." She warned as Thunder nearly burnt his tongue when he went to take a drink. He pawed at her gently as she giggled. He waited patiently for about half an hour, then tried the coffee again. It was cool enough, and he began lapping it up gratefully. When he had finished, he stretched, then got up.

"You want to go outside?" Thunder wagged his tail and licked her hood. The two departed the room slowly because of Thunder's paw, and eventually made it outside. Thunder hobbled over to Flo's and laid down, looking around for Lightning. Mariana guessed who he was looking for and replied, "He's at the Butte with Jack." Thunder laid his head down and sighed. He looked up as Flo approached, and his tail began to wag. She smiled and petted him gently with a tire. He licked her tire, whining happily.

"He really loves those steaks, Flo." Mariana giggled.

"I'll bet he does. He never could resist them." Flo laughed, then went to go give a few of the others their orders. Sally drove out of her lobby, and parked next to Thunder. He couldn't help but notice that she seemed exhausted, and nudged her tire, whining softly. She petted him absentmindedly, staring off into space. He licked her wheel and she jumped.

"Oh, it's only you, Thunder." She said softly, petting his head gently. He nudged her tire with his muzzle, whining slightly louder. "It's nothing, really. I'm fine." She offered him a small smile, then ordered a coffee from Flo. Thunder couldn't help but notice that she had ordered it black. Thunder just laid his head down again and sighed. He wanted to make Sally feel better, but he didn't know how.

"Don't feel bad, Thunder. I'm sure there's something we can do." Mariana whispered softly. Just then, Lightning drove up, covered in mud and laughing, driving alongside a smaller ball of mud that was also laughing, but had numerous needle-like extensions coming out of the mud in random directions. The ball of mud had an odd shuffling gait, and Lightning appeared to be helping it along slightly.

"What happened to you two?" Doc asked, chuckling.

"The track's still muddy from that rainstorm we had, so me and Jack were mud wrestling!" Lightning said. The others all chuckled, and he continued on.

"Anyways, we were wrestling, trying to pin the other down, when she slips and falls!" Lightning exclaimed, laughing as he nudged the ball of mud. "After that, she kept slipping and falling, and ended up in the cactus patch. I rolled her out, and then she was slipping and sliding all over again, so I tried to help, but I kinda... knocked her over and sent her rolling." Lightning's voice changed from a loud exclamation to a quiet mumble as he finished his story.

"Red, do you think you could give Jack a bath?"

Red nodded, and sprayed Jack with a cold stream of water. Gradually, a dark, metallic-blue Mini Cooper emerged from the ball of mud. She was covered in cactus needles and bits of cactus, not to mention soaking wet and shivering. She appeared to be favoring her right front wheel, so Doc led her into the clinic shortly after her 'bath'. He pulled the cactus needles out first, then looked at her wheel. It was the same side she had injured before, but this time she had bent her axle pretty badly when she had hit a rock going into the cactus patch. Doc attempted to straighten it, but Jack yelped and backed away quickly.

"Hmmm, that's no good..." He muttered to himself as he lowered the lift. He sighed after thinking about what to do for several minutes, and began wrapping Jack's axle in gauze.

"What's wrong?" Jack asked.

"Your axle is pretty badly damaged. I'm not sure there's anything that would help it except time. Go on over to Lightning's cone and get some rest." Doc sighed. Jack could tell that he wasn't happy with his decision, but she hobbled over to Lightning's cone anyways. She didn't escape the others' detection, and Thunder hobbled over, whining and nuzzling her gently.

"What's the matter, Jack?" Lightning asked, coming over to her. His sides were still streaked with mud, as though some of it had worn off.

Jack's gaze wandered to Sally, who looked as though she was running off the coffee she was sipping, and asked, "What's wrong with Sally?" Lightning's gaze fell to his hood and he shuffled his tires nervously.

"It's nothing. You should go inside and rest your axle." Lightning said, opening the door for her. Thunder hobbled in after her, matching her gait perfectly. Lightning sighed, then shut the garage door again.

"How did he know I damaged my axle? I didn't tell anybody." Thunder shrugged, then hobbled into his room, Jack following. The swelling had gone down slightly on his paw, and it hurt a lot less. He laid down in his bed, Jack gingerly laying down beside him, wincing as her axle brushed against the fabric of the bed. Thunder rolled her onto her other side, and Jack sighed with relief as she relaxed. "Thanks, Mutt." She said, petting his side gently. Thunder's tail wagged softly and he licked her side comfortingly.

Lightning snuggled next to Sally, still looking over at his cone absentmindedly. "How's the court case coming, Sal?" He asked, and she cast him a sideways glance and sighed. In her glance, Lightning could tell that the case was not going well, and that Sally was losing a lot of sleep over it. Lightning kissed her fender comfortingly, and she smiled at him slightly, faint shadows under her windshield.

"Thanks, Stickers." She said softly. "I just wish I could figure it out. It's making no sense to me right now, and with the possibility of customers coming in during the day, I can't work on it then. And with you leaving tomorrow, I'm not sure what I'm going to do."

A look of fear passed quickly over Lightning's face, but he snuggled against Sally again and said confidently, "You'll figure it out. You just need a vacation is all."

"I wish I could take one, but I just don't have the time." She said sadly, sighing and leaning against Lightning's side.

"Why don't you come to the race tomorrow? It'll only be for a day."

"That sounds like fun. Sure, I'll go, Stickers." She said, nuzzling his fender affectionately. Lightning grinned, and happily returned the gesture.

Thunder and Jack were snuggled together, asleep, when Mariana came in. She saw Jack, smiled, then went to go get Thunder another steak for when he woke up. She returned shortly, and he was awake in minutes, sniffing eagerly for the steak before his eyes were open. Mariana giggled softly, and passed him the plate. He began eating the steak eagerly, and Mariana laid down next to him. He wagged his tail, and stretched before he arose. He licked Mariana's side, making Mariana giggle. Thunder just wagged his tail again, looking pleased with himself. The swelling on his paw was almost gone by now, and he was able to limp slightly faster as he made his way out the door. He scooped up Mariana in his jaws, then went over to Flo's.

"Hey, after we thank Flo, would you wanna go see my parents?" Mariana whispered to Thunder. She got a muffled woof for an answer, along with a wagging tail. Mariana giggled as the pair arrived at Flo's. "Hey, Flo?" Mariana called.

"Yes, honey?" Flo replied, looking over her way.

"Thunder wanted to thank you again for the steaks." Mariana giggled, and Flo smiled. She patted Thunder's head gently, and he wagged his tail. He barked at Mariana, and the two departed, heading for the cemetery.

They arrived after about half an hour's walk, and Mariana led the way to the gate. She got a sudden chill, almost like a forewarning, and shivered. She shook the feeling off, driving through the open gate. She noticed that her parents' grave was blocked by a large tree branch, and she struggled to pull it away. Thunder threw his weight against it, trying to help, and it rolled a few inches, then stopped. The two shoved and pushed the branch in unison, but only moved it about a foot farther.

Finally, the two gave up, panting as they leaned on the branch. Mariana's gaze drifted over to Thunder, then back to the branch. "Hey, Thunder?"

He panted as he looked over at her expectantly, his tongue flopping out.

"Fetch!" Mariana exclaimed, pointing at the branch with a tire. Thunder wagged his tail, then picked up the branch at the skinnier end, dragging it along to the entrance of the graveyard. He wagged his tail as he limped back over to her. She was facing the littlest grave there, and appeared to not have noticed his return. He sat down quietly beside her, looking at her parents' grave. It showed that her father was the famous Beetle racecar, Herbie, with his number engraved in the stone underneath his name. He laid down and nuzzled Mariana's roof gently. She hugged him tightly as her eyes grew distant.

_A thousand times I see you standing, gravity like a lunar landing, make me want to run till I find you. I shut the world away from here, drift to you, you're all I hear, everything we know fades to black. Half the time the world is ending, truth is I am done pretending. I never thought that I had anymore to give, pushing me so far, here I am without you. Drink, to all that we have lost, mistakes we have made, everything will change, but love remains the same. Find the place where we escape, take you with me for a space_, _a city bus sounds just like a fridge. I walk the streets through seven bars, I have to find just where you are, the faces seem to blur, they're all the same. Half the time, the world is ending, truth is I am done pretending, I never thought that I had any more to give, wishing me so far, here I am without you._ _Drink, to all we have lost, mistakes we have made, everything will change, but love remains the same._

He had a sudden idea as he watched Mariana sitting completely still, and gently detached himself from her. He hobbled out of the graveyard, and was gone for at least five minutes. When he came back, he had a bouquet of desert flowers bunched together in his jaws. He set the flowers down gently on her parents' grave, and Mariana came back to the present. She spotted the flowers, and smiled. "Thanks, Thunder." She petted him fondly, and he licked her side, his tail wagging gently.

Abruptly, there was a moaning sound that came from the forest around the graveyard. Mariana leapt behind her parents' grave with a frightened squeak, and Thunder began to growl softly, ready to protect his friend. The bushes to their right, just outside the fence, shook violently, and they heard metal hit metal, then a soft, muttered curse in a male voice. "Wh-Who's there?" Mariana called out fearfully.

"Who's that?" The voice sounded like the owner was from the West, and sounded tough, but not mean.

"Where are you? C-Could you show yourself?" A grille poked through the bushes, and Mariana could see orange paint on the hood.

"I think I ran over a cactus patch or two, so I'm pretty much stuck here."

"Come on, let's go see if we can help." She said to Thunder, who nodded, and the two left the graveyard. They went over to where the grille was poking out of the bushes, and fought their way through the brush to get to the car's side.

When they finally had struggled to the driver's side, they found an orange car with blue eyes, his tires covered in cacti needles, and a one following a zero on his side. He looked like an older racing stock car. He looked down at them in a friendly way, but Mariana was still slightly cautious.

"There's nothin' to be afeared of, darlin'. I ain't gonna hurt ya." The car convinced her, and she drove around the car slowly, trying to see how many cactus needles he had in his tires. Meanwhile, the strange car was attempting to claw his way out of the entanglement of bushes on four flat tires.

"I don't think you'll be able to get very far before it gets dark, Mr..."

"Now I don't wanna hear any of this 'Mr.' business. My name's General Lee, but everybody calls me Bo."

"Okay, nice to meet you, Bo. I'm Mariana, and that's Thunder."

Thunder wagged his tail, and woofed softly.

"Howdy there, fella." Bo smiled, then winced. Thunder whined softly, and Bo looked thoughtfully at his new friend. "Hey, darlin'?"

"Yeah, Bo?"

"How much can your buddy here pull?"

"I'm not sure, Bo. He's probably strong though. He fights mountain lions and bears all the time."

"Normally, I wouldn't be askin' some friends that I barely know somethin' like that, but I just had me an idea, and since it's gonna be dark soon..."

"Do you have any rope? Thick rope?" Mariana asked, seeing where Bo was going with his thoughts.

"In my trunk." He popped his trunk open, and Mariana found a thick coil of rope. She began tying it together to make a harness for Thunder, and attached the remaining length to Bo. Thunder stepped into the harness, and Mariana secured it as tightly as she could.

"Okay, now pull, Thunder." Mariana said, and Thunder threw his weight against the front of the harness. Bo began to roll a few inches every time he took a step.

"It's workin'!" Bo exclaimed happily, then scooped up Mariana onto his hood with a tire. Mariana smiled up at him, and though she couldn't see him grinning, his blue eyes told her that he was. Thunder was pulling with all his might, and was going at a good clip, Bo rolling steadily behind him.

He pulled Bo all the way into town, where he stopped in front of Flo's. The others laughed, and Thunder wagged his tail. He always enjoyed helping. "Thunder, why'd you drag this poor guy into town?" Sally asked, and Bo looked over at her. She was very pretty, and he grinned.

"Oh, your good ol' boy here decided to help me out of a tight spot." He replied, smiling, and held up a cacti-filled tire for explanation. The others all nodded knowingly, and Doc rolled forwards.

"Thunder, if you wouldn't mind pulling him over to my clinic, would you?" Thunder wagged his tail and threw his weight against the harness again. Bo began rolling much quicker than before, and Thunder pulled Bo into Doc's. The others all laughed, shaking their hoods at Thunder's willingness to help.

Sally had seen Lightning off in his trailer, and couldn't wait to go watch him tomorrow. She had put the court case away for the day, and had decided to not think about it until after she was back home from the race. She was feeling more relaxed, and was sipping a coffee contentedly.

Thunder had gotten Bo onto the lift, and Mariana jumped down off his hood to untie him from Thunder. Once he was untied, she let him out of the harness. "Thank ya'll kindly." Bo smiled at the two.

Mariana replied, "No problem, Bo." then smiled back at him, and Thunder wagged his tail and woofed softly. Doc rolled into the clinic, and Thunder and Mariana went to wait outside. They could hear the two talking back and forth, and fifteen minutes later, Doc told Mariana to go ask Luigi for some dirt racing tires that would fit a 117 inch wheelbase. Mariana took off for Flo's after nodding, and then Thunder watched as she and Luigi went over to his shop. Mariana called out to him, and he trotted over to her.

"Do you think you could help?" Thunder wagged his tail, then stuck his head through two of the tires, so they were hanging from his neck. He nudged one upright, and began rolling it out of Luigi's. Mariana and Luigi giggled, then Mariana rolled the remaining tire out after Thunder. The two delivered their load to Doc, who chuckled when he saw Thunder. Thunder wagged his tail as Doc removed the tires from over his head, then he laid down outside Doc's. Bo rolled out of Doc's a few minutes later, a grin on his bumper as he ruffled Thunder's ears gently with a tire.

"You sure helped me out of a tight spot there, fella." Thunder wagged his tail, and barked. Bo laughed, and patted Mariana's roof. "Thanks for helpin' too, Darlin'."

Mariana giggled, then replied, "You're welcome, Bo. It's really getting dark. How far away do you live from here?" Mariana looked up at him curiously as she turned her headlights on.

"Oh, I live a far stretch from this here place." He replied, turning his low beams on so he wouldn't blind his newfound friends.

"Why don't we go ask Sally if you can get a Cone for tonight?" Mariana asked.

"All right, although I don't rightly know what a 'Cone' is, Darlin'." He replied somewhat sheepishly.

"You'll love it! Let's go!" Mariana said happily, driving over to Flo's, Bo following. Thunder quickly caught up with Mariana, and scooped her onto his head, where she slid down his neck and landed on his back. Bo and Mariana laughed, then they entered Flo's.

"Hey Sally?"

"Yes, Mariana?" Sally replied, turning towards the three.

'Her name is Sally.' Bo thought to himself as he grinned at her.

"Oh, hello." Sally greeted him with a smile.

"Howdy there. I was just wonderin' if I could have a room for the night? Y'see, my town's a far stretch along the road, and these two thought it would be a good idea." Bo explained, and he could tell that Sally had taken a liking to him.

"Of course. Follow me over to my lobby, and I'll get you a key." She smiled and led the way, Thunder and Mariana bringing up the end of the line. Bo followed after her, and caught a glance of Sally's tattoo. He grinned to himself, but didn't say a word.

"I think he likes Sally." Mariana whispered to Thunder, who nodded his agreement. Sally handed Bo the key for Cone number two, and he took it, wishing her a good night. She returned his kind words, and he departed for his Cone. He called out for Thunder and Mariana, and they entered his cone.

"What do ya'll think of that Sally? Whoo, she sure is fine lookin'!"

Mariana cast a glance in Thunder's direction, then replied, "You like Sally?"

"Sure do, Darlin'! 'Course, I like you too, but I think I'm too old for you." Bo laughed at his joke, while Mariana looked confused. Thunder leaned close to nuzzle her, then Mariana suddenly understood the joke. Mariana nodded to show that she understood.

"So is Thunder, but I still hang around with him." She giggled, and Bo joined her in her laughter. Thunder barked, and nuzzled Mariana on her hood. She giggled harder, and Thunder was almost snickering himself. Bo caught Mariana as she tried to escape, then tickled her also. She squealed and giggled and laughed, making Bo laugh also. Thunder licked her side, sending her into a fit of giggles even louder than the last. Bo laughed as he watched Thunder chase Mariana around.

Finally, Thunder laid down, panting. Mariana came over to him and climbed onto his head, slid down his neck again, then curled up onto his back.

"I think it's bedtime for the little Darlin'." Bo chuckled as Mariana yawned. Thunder gently grasped Mariana in his jaws and wagged his tail as Bo petted him good night. Thunder departed the cone with Mariana, and Bo closed the garage door after hearing theirs close.

He awoke the next morning, momentarily wondering where he was. He remembered the past night's events quickly, and chuckled to himself. He opened the garage door, and departed the Cone. He was surprised to find that Sally was gone from the town, along with more than half of the residents. The only ones that remained were a fire truck who he hadn't seen last night, a Model T that he hadn't seen either, Thunder, Mariana, and a small, blue car that he hadn't seen with Thunder before.

"Howdy." He greeted the fire truck and the Model T in a friendly tone, watching as the fire truck smiled and nodded a hello as the Model T replied, "Who might you be, young man?"

"Ya'll can just call me Bo." Bo grinned, and Lizzie smiled back.

"Nice to meet you, Joe. I'm Lizzie, and that's Roy." She said, gesturing to Red with a wheel. Red shook his roof and sighed silently as he rolled his eyes to the sky, which was cloudless.

"It ain't Joe. It's-"

"She's not going to remember your name, anyway. And that's not Roy, his name's Red." Mariana giggled softly.

"Nice to meet ya, Red."

**That's right. The General Lee. :D I can't tell you guys how much fun I had writing this chapter, and don't worry, you'll get to see baby triplets soon, I can promise you this. :) I'd say in about... in the next chapter! WHOOHOO! Tiny baby Muscle Cars! *Squee* See you next weekend, Liz :D **


	9. The Triplets Have Arrived

**NOW, FOR THE MOMENT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR, I'M PROUD TO ANNOUNCE: THE TRIPLETS HAVE COME INTO THE STORY!**

Bo smiled, then turned to Jack. "And who might this lovely little doll be?"

He grinned at her charmingly, and she replied, "I'm Jack. Nice to meet you, Bo." She extended one of her wheels, and Bo touched her wheel with his. Jack winced slightly as she set her wheel back down, and Bo couldn't help but notice.

"What's the matter there, darlin'?" He asked worriedly.

"Nothing, I just wrenched my axle pretty badly mud-wrestling." She said.

"You like to mud-wrestle too? Shoot, dip me in grease and call me Slick, I didn't know anybody else liked that kinda stuff!" He grinned at her, and Jack laughed.

"I do! And so does Mariana."

"And Thunder too!" Mariana spoke up from her snuggle with Thunder, who barked and wagged his tail. Bo chuckled and asked if the two wanted to go mud-wrestling. Thunder stood up, and Mariana agreed.

The three set off down towards their mud-wrestling spot, Jack calling to them that she would come down and watch. Thunder turned around and scooped up Jack onto his back. The four arrived at the Butte, and were pleased to see that there was still a plentiful supply of mud there.

Jack got off Thunder's back, and hobbled over to a hill, so she could watch. Thunder barked happily and dove headfirst into the mud, sending mud flying. He popped back up, looking like he had just jumped into a vat of melted chocolate. Mariana jumped in next, giggling when she popped up. Bo jumped in last, then they began to wrestle, laughing and trying not to swallow any mud.

They wrestled until it got too dark to see, then they all wallowed out of the mud, laughing. Bo tried to turn his headlights on, so they could see, but he couldn't get them working.

"Shoot, there must be mud caught in the bulbs or somethin'." He said as they headed up to Jack. Thunder attempted to shake the mud out of his fur, but it was all stuck in huge globs, none of it moving. Mariana stopped suddenly from where she had been rolling behind the two.

"What's wrong there, darlin'?" Bo asked, looking back worriedly.

"I'm not sure. I think my engine stalled." She said, but there was doubt in her voice. She tried to start her engine, but all she got was a whine that kept increasing in volume. She stopped, then a few minutes later she tried again.

_Chk-rr-rr-rr. Chkrr-rr-rr-rr-rr-rr._

"Oh, now what?" She exclaimed after hastily stopping.

"This, darlin'." Bo replied as he scooped her up with a wheel and deposited her onto his hood.

"Thanks, Bo." She replied, smiling up at him gratefully.

He smiled back, and then continued onwards. He was covered in mud too, and could only see out of his windshield where he had used his wipers. Mariana had mud in dry clumps across her hood and roof, along with hardened drips running from her roof down her sides, back, and slightly into her windshield. She had a thick, darker band of mud going across her eyelids, making her look like a raccoon.

Jack giggled as she saw the three. "You look like swamp monsters!" Thunder picked her up in his jaws, his tail wagging. The group left the Butte and headed for Flo's.

"I reckon we could all use a bath!" Bo said, chuckling as he surveyed the others. The other cars that he had seen a day ago were back at the café, and exclaimed when they saw how dirty they were.

"Is there even a dog under this mud?" Sally teased as Thunder deposited Jack at her side. Thunder barked and wagged his tail.

Doc laughed as he saw the muddy trio. "Looks like you all had fun."

"We sure did! Except when we were driving back up, my engine stalled."

"There's probably just mud in it, darlin'." Bo replied reassuringly. Red pulled out of his spot and looked at them questioningly, his hose slightly raised.

"Sure, Red." Mariana replied, grinning. Red aimed at her and shot a jet of ice-cold water at her. "Okay, that's good, Red! Thanks!" He shut his hose off, and she smiled at him, perfectly clean again. Now the only thing that remained was her engine stalling.

Doc took her over to the clinic, and they were back in a short while. Mariana drove over to Thunder, grinning. "There was just a blown shock." Doc told the others, who were relieved. "Now, to clean Thunder!"

Red smiled and shot a jet of ice-cold water at Thunder. He shut his hose off after a few minutes, and Thunder was left standing in the middle of Flo's, shivering violently, his fur making him look like a gigantic drowned rat, the excess water running down from the fur on his muzzle, tail, and belly.

Flo and the others laughed, then watched as he shook himself off, sending water everywhere. When he was done, he was still shivering, so he laid down by Lightning, hoping to get warm.

"You crazy mutt." Lightning laughed as he petted Thunder. Mariana snuggled up next to him, and he licked her hood, still shivering.

A few hours later, Mariana and Thunder were sitting on the top of the cliff at Wheel Well, something they had not done in a while. Jack had gone back to Lightning's cone to get some sleep, Bo had gone into his cone also, and the others were asleep.

It didn't matter to Thunder and Mariana that it was nearly midnight, all that they cared about was that they were stargazing for the first time in months, probably years.

Suddenly, Thunder's hearing detected a faint rustling noise coming from some nearby bushes. He nudged Mariana and pointed his muzzle in the direction that the rustling was coming from. The two of them cautiously crept over to the bushes and peeked through the branches.

There was a severely mangled orange 1970's Plymouth Barracuda lying limply on the ground, and three miniature orange Barracudas, smaller than Mariana, were clustered around their mother, beeping their tiny horns and crying.

Mariana and Thunder entered the tiny space slowly, trying not to frighten the newborn babies. Thunder nudged their mother gently, but nothing happened. He barked quietly, and still nothing happened. The three little muscle cars were all hiding behind their dead mother, shaking with fear and from the cold as they watched him fearfully. He whined and crawled towards them on his belly, whimpering softly. One of the bolder 'Cudas slowly drove over to him and sniffed at him. He licked her and she giggled. The other two drove out after their sister and went to investigate Thunder.

He licked and nuzzled them comfortingly, then after they were used to him, he backed out of the clearing, hoping that they would follow. They scrambled after him, squeaking and chirping, but kept falling down, their wheels splayed out in all directions. Thunder picked the little one with brown eyes, the girl, up and set her onto his back. She stayed where she was, snuggled against his neck. He picked up the other two, which were both boys, in his mouth and trotted out of the clearing, Mariana following him. He looked around for anywhere to keep them safe.

"What about Lightning's cone?" Mariana volunteered, guessing what was the matter. Thunder wagged his tail, then Mariana scrambled onto his back to hold onto the little girl 'Cuda. Thunder set off for home, going as fast as he dared. He glanced down at the two boys and found them asleep. Mariana whispered that the little girl was asleep. Thunder wagged his tail.

They made it back to town in about forty-five minutes, and Thunder wasted no time in heading for Lightning's cone. He opened the door and darted inside. He heard the low drone of the television, and tried to creep past the living room, but Lightning saw him.

"Hey, Thunder!" He exclaimed softly in greeting. One of the boys whimpered loudly in his sleep, then fell silent again.

"What was that?" Lightning asked, driving over. He took in the scene that was in the hallway. Thunder had two tiny newborn Plymouth Barracudas dangling from his mouth, and then Lightning saw the one that was clinging to the fur on his neck.

"Where did you find them?" He asked quietly, taking the two from Thunder's mouth and gently setting them on his hood.

"They were up by Wheel Well, and their mom's dead, so we couldn't have left them there. They'd die too." Mariana said, looking sadly over at the babies on Lightning's hood.

Lightning looked down at the two babies also and sighed. "Poor little guys." He said softly. "I'll go get Sally. She might know what to do." Lightning said, rolling out of the cone.

Thunder halted him at the doorway and retrieved the two that were on Lightning's hood. He took all four cars back to his bed and gently laid down, setting the babies at his side.

Lightning came in fifteen minutes later, Sally following behind. She saw the three babies and rolled over to them. She gently lifted one off Thunder's bed and held it, smiling softly. She asked where he had found them, and Mariana answered again.

"He'll have to keep them. They've already imprinted him into the role of their mother." Sally replied, smiling. She looked down at the one she was holding and at the group still clustered around Thunder, then teasingly said that he looked like a goose, with the group of five little cars.

Thunder wagged his tail, then laid his head down. Lightning and Sally snickered, then Lightning petted Thunder.

"Goodnight, Mother Goose." He whispered, then went into silent peals of laughter, tears running down his hood from the suppressed snickers. Sally clamped her mouth shut, and Thunder was sure she was trying to hold back laughter. Sally gently set the one she had been holding down next to Mater, and he thought there was a sort of regretful expression in her eyes. Lightning and Sally left the room shortly after, and Thunder drifted off to sleep. He awoke the next morning to a quiet sigh and nudge. He cracked his eyes open to see the three babies snuggled into his side, one of them sucking on a front tire, one of them whimpering softly, and the other one playing quietly with his tail.

Thunder nuzzled the one that was whimpering, quieting it, then he licked the one playing with his tail, the girl. She turned around, looking at him with large, round puppy eyes. She squeaked, then tried to stand up on her tires. She wobbled violently, and Thunder put out his muzzle to steady her. She drove towards his muzzle, but tumbled to the bed again, her wheels all splayed out in different directions. Thunder nudged her upright again, and watched as she cautiously reached her axle out to take a step.

She wobbled again when she was on three tires, and tumbled sideways onto the bed with a surprised chirp. She looked at Thunder upside down, her large, round eyes shining with tears. Thunder nuzzled her quickly, trying to comfort her before she cried out and woke everyone else up. She grasped his muzzle with her tires, and hung on as he lifted her up into the air slightly. He set her back down in between his front paws, and nuzzled her as she squeaked and chirped softly. She snuggled against him, purring softly.

Lightning had rolled into the room before Thunder had woken up, watching as the group slept. He petted Thunder, and the little 'Cuda between his front paws growled at Lightning, sounding like a little puppy. Lightning grinned as he looked down on the little baby, and nearly laughed as she growled again.

"Hey, Squirt." He said softly, patting her on the roof with a tire at least four times bigger than she was. She growled again and latched onto his tire with her tires wrapped around his, growling and biting at it. Lightning snickered, rotating his wheel slowly as he held it off the ground. The little girl car scurried along his tire, growling and nipping him whenever she got the chance. Thunder grabbed her gently by the back of the roof and lifted her off of Lightning's wheel. She swung at Lightning with a tire, growling. He chuckled, then grinned as the other two babies woke up. The two boys drove over to him, curiously looking up at him. One of the boys had green eyes, and the other had bright neon blue eyes.

"What are you going to call them, buddy?" He asked Thunder, scaring the two boys and sending them tumbling as they tried to dart away from him. Thunder looked over the three, and decided quickly. he looked around for something to write with, and Lightning snickered, passing him a pad of paper and a pen. "The girl's Sara, the boy with green eyes is Harry, and the one with blue eyes is Paul." Lightning read quietly, then grinned.

"Her nickname is Squirt." Lightning said, pointing at Sara.

Mariana and Jack woke up, and Jack was surprised to see three babies lying in the bed. Mariana asked him if he'd named them yet, and Lightning replied with the names of each and which was which.

**Who had a heart attack from the cuteness? Anyone? If you haven't already, then you will. Just wait. there's more of the triplets that will make you squeal with delight and go 'Awww, so cute!' And I think I'm going to start uploading this story on Saturdays, too. I've already done it twice. XD Read, review, and don't steal please?**


	10. Three Little Triplets

Sara slipped as she tried to get up onto her tires and fell onto the bed with a soft _flump_. Her windshield filled with tears, and she began bawling loudly. Thunder whined and nuzzled her gently, as Mariana and Jack peeked at her from over his back. Outside, Sheriff was driving by the motel, patrolling the town, when he heard what sounded like a baby crying. He stopped in the middle of the road, bewildered beyond comprehension. There hadn't been any babies in the town since... well, forever. 'Mariana and Jack are the only children around for miles.' He thought, still extremely confused. Thunder, Lightning, Jack and Mariana came out about half an hour later, and went over to Flo's. Everyone noticed at once the three baby Barracudas that Thunder was toting.

"They're adorable!" Flo smiled at the three, who shrank away cautiously.

"Dad gum, Thunder! Looks like ya found some new friends!" Mater gave his dog a grin, earning a wag of Thunder's tail as a response. It wasn't long before 'Squirt' got over her fear and scrambled towards Flo, beeping her tiny horn repeatedly. She stopped mid-charge as her wheels went flying out from under her and she landed on the pavement with a loud _thud_. The others all gasped quietly, and she had such a comical look of shock and surprise on her face that the others were trying not to laugh. Her brown eyes were wide, though she wasn't crying, and the others all felt guilty for barely suppressing their laughter. Squirt squeaked, then began to gather her wheels back together again. She pushed herself up, then tried rolling more slowly, wobbling violently as she managed to stay upright. She made it over to Flo, who smiled down at her and picked her up. Squirt squeaked and chirped and giggled as the others laughed. The two boys, Harry and Paul, were peeking out from around Thunder at Flo and Sara.

Harry drove forwards cautiously, his back wheels slipping out from underneath him and sending him into a sitting position, like Thunder's. He grunted as he got back up onto all four wheels, then began stretching out his wheels, wobbling precariously on three wheels. He went tumbling and rolling hood over wheels, and ended up in front of Flo, on his roof.

He giggled and waved his wheels through the air. Flo nudged him upright and he kept giggling, occasionally chirping and squeaking. "That's precious." Flo smiled down at Harry, who offered her a mostly toothless grin in return.

Meanwhile, Paul had managed to scramble along behind Mater and over to Ramone. Paul squeaked and chirped happily as Ramone amused the little 'Cuda by lowering and rising on his hydraulics. Flo set Sara down on the ground gently, then gently nudged her to go play with the others. She took off towards Sheriff and Doc too fast, and went flying into a tumble hood over wheels. She landed in front of the two upside down, and looked up at them with shock, surprise, and slight fear. Her windshield began filling up with tears, and Doc gently tried to nudge her upright with a tire. When he lowered his tire, she latched onto it and growled her loudest. The others all chuckled and Doc gently set her on his hood. She drove around in circles quickly until she fell down, her hood bobbing dizzily and her eyes crossing. Doc chuckled, and watched as she refocused on him.

"Hello there." He said, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice. In response he got a beep form her horn and a growl like a puppy's. The others all laughed as quietly as possible. Doc chuckled, then set her down gently. She tried to eat his tire as she latched onto it again, and he avoided her only by driving backwards, still chuckling. "High-strung, aren't you squirt?" He looked down at her, when she giggled. She pounced at him, giggling and squeaking. She continued hopping towards him, giggling until she lost interest and decided to amuse Sheriff. She squeaked at him, and he chuckled, but didn't move to pick her up.

"I know your tricks, squirt." He chuckled. She rubbed against his tire, purring. He lifted up his tire to pat her roof gently, and in a flash she had latched onto his tire, biting it and growling. He chuckled and watched her, since her bites weren't strong enough to hurt yet. Suddenly, she yawned widely, showing her sharp but tiny canine teeth, then dropped off Sheriff's tire abruptly.

Sheriff caught her before she hit the ground, then set her down gently. She snuggled up against his tire and fell asleep. Paul had made his way over to Doc, and was laying down on the pavement in front of him, his hood cocked in curiosity, his blue eyes wide. Suddenly, he squealed loudly, then looked surprised at the noise he had made. He rolled over onto his hood and trunk and leisurely waved his tires through the air, squeaking contentedly, all the while watching Doc with the blue eyes so like his. Flo and Harry were playing together, with Flo playfully chasing him around on the pavement. He was squealing and giggling wildly, and when she caught him, he beeped his tiny horn, and chirped. "Bah?"

"Hey, he said somethin'!" Ramone said eagerly, looking over at Harry.

Harry announced in a somewhat triumphant tone, "Bah!"

The others all laughed.

"I think he's the first one out of the three to talk." Lightning said, looking around at the three baby Barracudas. Sara was catching a nap against Sheriff's tire when she awoke suddenly and looked around drowsily. She drove over to Fillmore and snuggled against his tire, purring.

"I see how it is, squirt, I'm not good enough for you anymore." Sheriff called teasingly as he chuckled with the others. Fillmore picked up Sara and she squeaked, giving him big, round, brown puppy eyes.

"C'mon, man. Look at that face." He said to Sarge, who was grumbling to himself about 'little brats'. He turned Sara towards Sarge so he could see, but Sarge kept grumbling, ignoring Fillmore. Suddenly, Sara beeped and growled at Sarge, narrowing her tiny windshield angrily, she struggled in Fillmore's grasp, showing her teeth at Sarge. "What did ya say, man? She's goin' nuts!" Fillmore exclaimed, looking down at Sara in wonder.

"All I said was that these three are all little runts and they need to be put through boot camp." Sarge replied, inching away from Sara, who was trying to lunge for him, growling furiously like an angry puppy. Fillmore pulled Sara away from Sarge, then looked down at her calmly. "Peace, man. Calm down, his carma'll take care of him." Sara calmed down gradually, and finally squeaked contentedly, pawing at Fillmore's 'VW' symbol with her front tires.

"I think you made her mad." Mack chuckled, watching Sara.

"She's still a runt, as far as I'm concerned." Sarge grumbled, turning and driving away. Sara turned to him and hissed angrily at his retreating bumper. Fillmore calmed her down again, and soon she was rolled onto her roof, waving her wheels in the air as Fillmore played with her. Suddenly, Sara popped up and shot after Sarge, almost toppling over. She zoomed underneath him from behind, growling angrily. He froze instantly, his back wheels turned inwards, and looked down at Sara with a grimace of pain and anger. Sara growled at him again, then drove back underneath him as she went back to Fillmore. Sarge all but fell to the ground in pain, while the others laughed shamelessly.

"She sure knows how to hold her own against cars bigger than her!" Mack laughed, looking down at her approvingly. She squeaked in Fillmore's grasp and stuck her tongue out at Sarge, making the others laugh again.

"She's bold, all right!" Sheriff agreed, chuckling. Sara looked up at Fillmore and squeaked, pointing to his roof.

"All right, all right. Just don't fall, man." he lifted her up as far as he could, and she climbed up the rest of the way. She laid down a few inches from the edge of Fillmore's roof, looking around at the others.

Paul had gotten up off his hood, and wandered over to Sally, squeaking in surprise as he bumped into her tire and fell down, his wheels splayed out at all angles.

"Oh, poor little guy." Sally said comfortingly, picking him up as his windshield filled with tears. "There there, it's all right."

Paul sniffled, looking up at her with giant blue puppy eyes, the tears making him look irresistible. Sally gently set him on her hood, watching as he laid down after investigating. He squeaked softly, looking up at Sally's windshield.

"You are adorable, little guy." She said softly, looking down at him and smiling.

He still looked like he might cry, so Sally started entertaining him, and he started giggling, a high-pitched squealing giggle that made Sally laugh. She crossed her eyes and he giggled his squealing giggle, making Sally laugh again.

"You are too cute!" She exclaimed sweetly, watching him roll onto his roof and watch her contentedly. He giggled his giggle again, and waved his tires through the air.

He spotted a butterfly, and flipped himself right side up again. He watched it closely, his windshield wide with wonder. It landed on his hood, and he crossed his eyes as he looked at it. The others were all watching him, smiling and waiting for him to scare the insect away. He seemed frozen with wonder because he never moved while it was on his hood, only his eyes following it. It reached a spot by his grille, when he sneezed, then blinked in surprise. The others all laughed at Paul's adorableness, and watched as the butterfly, which had fluttered away, returned to his hood. He sneezed again, and the others all laughed again. He waved a tire at the butterfly, and it fluttered to his roof. He laid on Sally's hood, looking up at the butterfly, an expression of comical wonder on his tiny face. He squeaked and tried to reach the butterfly, but it flew away at the same moment. He watched it go, his expression confused, then rolled back over on Sally's hood and continued to watch her watching him, and waving his tires through the air.

Harry had been set down by Flo as she went to get him something to eat. Now he had wandered over to Luigi, looking up at him curiously. He began chewing on Luigi's tire experimentally as Luigi made to pat his roof.

"No, no, _bambino_. Luigi's tire is not-a a chew toy." Luigi detached Harry from his tire gently, and patted him on the roof. Harry looked confused, and blinked a few times. The others all chuckled.

"I think you've puzzled him, Luigi." Lightning said, looking down at the little 'Cuda, amused. Harry looked up at Lightning, then made his way over to Lightning. Lightning smiled as he watched.

Harry made as if to chew on Lightning's tire, and Lightning quickly rolled backwards. Flo returned shortly with food for the three, and set it down in front of them. She scooped a giggling Harry onto her hood, and watched him carefully so he would begin to eat. Sara stared down at her food with curiosity. Suddenly, she began to work her way through the food with nothing but her tires and her hood. The others all watched, chuckling, as she grew dirtier and dirtier. Paul, meanwhile, had scrambled down from Sally's hood and had began to eat his almost immediately, using his tires, so only getting his tires dirty.

"They're like little piranhas!" Lightning said in wonder, watching them eat.

A considerably short time later, the three tiny, extremely messy baby 'Cudas wandered over to Mater, blinking and yawning. Sara laid down in between his front wheels, yawning, her eyelids drooping. Paul and Harry laid down at Mater's side, Harry sticking a food-covered tire in his mouth and quickly sucking on it. Paul splayed his tires out as he laid down, blinking sleepily and yawning. The others watched as one by one, the babies fell asleep, snuggled up next to Mater. He snickered as Thunder licked them clean, then watched as the giant dog carried them back over to Lightning's cone.

Harry sighed in his sleep, and Thunder looked down at him fondly. He had decided to carry the three over in his jaws for an easier drop off. They entered the cone, and Thunder padded down the hallway and into his bedroom. He gently set the three babies down on his bed next to each other, then covered them in a blanket, so they wouldn't be cold. He came trotting back outside, his tail wagging merrily. He arrived over at Flo's and laid down by Mariana and Jack, quickly scooping Mariana towards him with a paw and nuzzling her. She began giggling and squirming as the others laughed.

"Hey, Thunder. Now that your babysitting is done for now, you wanna go race at the Butte?"

Thunder barked happily, then looked to Mariana.

"Sure, I'll go." She said happily.

"I'll go back to the cone, okay? That way, if one of those triplets wakes up, then they won't wake the other two up." Jack spoke up.

**Hi everyone! How'd you like this chapter of FORD? It was filled with adorable triplets! :D And I don't really know what kind of food the three were eating... I just kind of pictured it as mushy brown stuff... XD Look for the next chapter of NEIWICUTB, up soon! And EmilyTheBrave, the story is in the works,I just gotta figure out how I want it to end. XD Catch ya next week with more of this, then NEIWICUTB! Peace out, Liz **


	11. The Return of Red, White, and Chrome

Mariana grinned, then the four parted ways. Lightning sped off down to the track, Mariana racing past. "Wow! She sure has gotten fast!" Lightning exclaimed. "I think we might actually have some competition this time!" Thunder barked and nipped Lightning's tire before darting ahead. "Hey!" Lightning exclaimed in surprise before speeding after him, laughing. Mariana suddenly froze in the middle of the path, and Thunder almost tripped over her.

"What's wrong, Mariana?" Lightning asked, pulling up behind the two of them. Thunder looked in the same direction as Mariana and began growling ferociously. Lightning saw the fur on his back rising up, and knew something was going to happen soon. He quickly pulled up by Mariana's side, and looked out to the track below.

There was a green-eyed, white-over-red car at the track facing them. It wasn't moving, just waiting, watching them. Nobody moved for a full minute. Then Christine moved closer. Thunder snarled and moved in front of Mariana, protecting her.

"Hey, Mutt. Toldja I'd be back. I toldja." Christine called, and Thunder ignored her, waiting for her to make the next move. She didn't move, just continued looking up at Thunder angrily.

Lightning picked up Mariana, who was shaking. He held her tightly, just in case he should need to speed off with her.

Christine noticed Lightning, and smirked. "Come on, hand her over. That way, I won't have to kill you." Christine called out to Lightning.

Lightning narrowed his windshield, but said nothing.

"Fine then, if I'm going to have to kill you all, I will!" Christine screamed suddenly, firing her engine up with a roar and charging for the three. Lightning flew back towards town with Mariana, while Thunder charged towards Christine. He leapt onto her hood, and hung on as best as he could while she screeched to a halt. "Get off me, you stupid mutt!" She screamed, but Thunder didn't get off, just jumped onto her back deck and bit one of her tailfins. Christine screamed in pain and anger, then spun around in a doughnut, trying to dislodge him from her trunk.

Thunder flew off and landed with a thud a good many feet away. Christine laughed heartlessly, then started to speed off towards the town. Thunder got up and chased after her, barking angrily, his anger giving him the power to keep running after Christine. He bit at her back wheels, making her kick out at him. When he didn't stop, she braked, then came after him.

He led her up past Wheel Well, into the mountains, then flew around a sharp corner that ended in a cliff. Christine was going too fast and flew off the edge. She landed hard on a ledge about fifty feet below, and as Thunder looked down on her, he was relieved to see that there were no tireholds to get back up.

"I'll get you, you mangy mutt! Just you wait and see!" She screamed, glaring up at him angrily.

His response was to let a large amount of doggy drool fall directly onto Christine's hood. She shrieked angrily, and looked around for a rock. She found a good-sized rock for throwing, and chucked it as hard as she could in his direction. It missed him as he jumped backwards, then fell back down to land on Christine's windshield, creating a spiderweb of cracks on one side. She growled angrily, then looked at the wall in front of her.

She sighed, glared up at Thunder again, then seemed to disappear into the rock. Thunder turned around and headed back towards town. He knew that Christine would figure a way out, and he now had five children to protect. He decided that the only way to protect them was to stand watch. He didn't even know when he'd be able to sleep next. As he made his way into town, Mariana leaped onto his back, shaking and trying as hard as she could not to cry, even though tears were still leaking from her windshield. Thunder nuzzled her gently, then Lightning rolled over.

"Mariana, see? I told you he'd be fine. Look, not even a scratch on him!"

Mariana looked up at Lightning, her windshield filled with tears and even more running down her hood. Even though she wasn't making a sound, Lightning still looked hurt and guilty.

He thought it would have been better if she was sobbing. Now he felt horrible. Thunder noticed the look on each face, then nudged Lightning's fender before going towards their home. Mariana was hugging him tightly around the back of his neck, and he could feel her tears leaking into his fur. He trotted into the shed, and that was when Mariana began sobbing quietly, clutching his fur tightly.

"Hey, Mariana, what's wrong?" Mater asked gently, looking at her worriedly.

"I-I thought th-that I'd n-never see you aga-again!" She choked out, still sobbing quietly as tears kept running down her hood. He picked her up and held her, but she kept sobbing.

"Sh-She looked like she w-wanted to kill us b-b-both!" Mariana exclaimed, still sobbing.

"Hey now, it's over with." He said gently, holding her more firmly.

"B-B-But-"

"I'm dad gummed sure that Thunder put her in her place, now don't cry, please. Thunder's all right, you're all right, the two of ya'll are both unhurt." He said, nuzzling her gently again. She kept crying, and he got up to go get her blanket.

"No." She said, grasping him around the tire tightly, still crying and sobbing.

"Mariana, I'll be right back, I'm just going to get your blanket." Mater said gently.

"No." She said, slightly louder as she sobbed, burying her hood into Mater's door.

"Do you wanna come with me?" He asked gently.

"Nuh-uh." She said, shaking her hood no.

"Then how am I supposed to get yer blanket, little miss Mariana?" Mariana looked up from his side, surprised. Mater was pretty surprised too; that hadn't been what he had meant to say at all.

"I don't want you to leave ever again."

"I promise that I ain't gonna unless I need to." Mater promised.

"You sure?" Mariana said, sniffling as she wiped her tears away, occasionally choking on a sob.

"I never make promises that I ain't gonna keep." He said firmly, then went to go get some hot chocolate oil, Mariana now curled up in his pickup bed. He drove over to Flo's, looking around instinctively for Christine.

"Still alive, eh man?" Ramone called out to Thunder, who was trotting along at his side. Mater shook his head 'no', to warn Ramone, but it was too late.

He heard a whimper from behind and felt Mariana press her hood into his metal and start crying again. Flo drove over to him and asked if Mariana was all right. Suddenly, Mariana poked her hood out over the side of Mater's bed.

"No, she's not." She said in a whimper, then hid her hood against Mater's bed again. Flo cast an angry glance in Ramone's direction, causing him to shrug and sink lower on his hydraulics. Flo went into her lobby, and returned with a small drum, about the size of a gas tank.

"Here, honey." Flo said gently, handing the drum to Mariana. Mariana sniffled, then pulled away, tears running down her hood as her windshield filled up with them, and took the drum.

"Th-Thanks, Flo." Mariana offered a small, watery smile, then hiccuped. Mater quietly thanked Flo, then turned around. As he was heading back towards his yard, he was able to hear Flo chewing out Ramone for making Mariana cry. He snickered to himself, then entered the shed. He and Mariana entered, and Mariana began sobbing again. He turned on the television to a show the two liked, then laid down, setting Mariana at his side. She continued to sob quietly, her hood buried in his door.

He pulled her blanket that was lying in the back of the shed onto her, wrapping Mariana in it. She sniffed loudly, choking on her sobs again, then handed Mater the drum. He opened it slightly so she could drink it. She whimpered her thanks, then began sipping the hot chocolate, nestled against Mater's side, only an occasional hiccup revealing that she was still crying.

A few hours later, Mater looked down and was surprised to find her asleep, the drum nearly empty and securely in her wheels. He curled a tire around her after gently removing the drum from her grasp and setting it down nearby. He began to doze off too, and only awoke when he felt Mariana stir slightly. When he opened his eyes, the area was dark from the night outside. There were shadows everywhere, except the moonbeam shining onto the three of them.

He sent Thunder to go check on the triplets after making sure Mariana hadn't woken up. He watched as Thunder galloped off towards Lightning's cone, where the three would stay until they were able to be outside for longer periods of time.

The three were snuggled up against Jack under a spare blanket, and with their eyes closed, it was impossible to tell which was which. Thunder looked at the triplets, with their tiny identical blowers poking out of their hoods, to the tiny tires in the front paired with the larger tires in the back that all three seemed to have. In fact, they looked like almost identical to Snot Rod, exempting their small size and different colored eyes.

He was pretty sure that they hadn't gotten any of the modifications from their mother, who, from what he could tell, was completely stock. Thunder shook his head in slight bewilderment, looking at the small group lying in his bed. He watched them quietly for another minute or two, then turned and went back towards Mater's. Mariana was still sleeping, and Mater was gently hugging her with a tire. Thunder curled up around her again and drifted back off to sleep. He awoke to the sun streaming in through the sides of the shed, and to Mariana moaning slightly as she stretched.

"Morning, Thunder." She said around a yawn. He yawned mightily, but his was no match for Mariana's. She chuckled, and just then, Squirt wobbled into the yard. Pleasantly surprised, Mater went over to her as she yawned and promptly fell back down to the floor. "Looks like ya still need some practice, don't ya?" He said softly. He looked up as Lightning rolled into the yard, carrying the other two on his hood. "Hey, buddy!"

"Hi, Mater. Thought they'd want to spend some time with their rescuer and his owner." He chuckled, and set the other two down.

Squirt chirped and squeaked, then pawed at Mater's tire playfully. Mater tickled her, making her giggle. Soon, Harry and Paul began wandering towards him, squeaking softly. Paul saw Mater and smiled, showing his four front teeth. He squeaked softly, then drove over to Mater. Mater tickled him also, snickering as Paul squealed in delight. Paul swatted at Squirt with a tire, and Mater picked up Paul, looking at him sternly. "That ain't nice. Ya gotta be nice ter yer sister." Paul giggled and hugged Mater's front, oblivious to the stern look he was getting. Mater set Paul down again, then saw Harry still struggling to remain upright. He went over to help, but then Mariana stepped in.

"Here. Let me try something." She got down on the floor like Harry, then pulled herself upright. Harry copied her, and was soon standing on his own. He uttered a happy squeal, then almost toppled over. Mariana caught him, then tried again. He was able to stand much faster then before, and Mariana began rolling slowly. Harry watched her, a look of wonder on his face, then he began rolling slowly also. Mariana sped up slightly, and Harry did the same. He followed her around the yard, learning to swerve around objects, and to brake and accelerate. He scrabbled at the gate with his front tires, and Mater opened the gate for him. He nearly tumbled out, but caught himself and began rolling again. He reached the street, and Mater dashed out to catch him and prevent him from getting into trouble.

"Good catch, Mater!" Lightning called from Flo's. The others came tumbling out, and Mariana nudged them upright. The three followed her over to Flo's, Harry in the spot behind her, then Squirt, then Paul, who kept losing his balance. He fell down to his back bumper once, in the middle of the road, and Mater nudged him upright again, glad that he was bringing up the rear.

"Is the gang all here?" Mack snickered, looking down the row of children.

"All except Jack. Looks like she's sleeping in." Lightning pointed out. Mariana giggled, and then the three babies dispersed among the breakfast crowd. Sara returned to Fillmore's side, yawning sleepily.

"Oh, no, not you again!" Sarge moaned. He was still sore from yesterday. The others all laughed as he inched away from Sara, who completely ignored him. She squeaked and chirped as Fillmore chuckled and tickled her gently. She laid down at his side and was asleep in seconds. Fillmore gently pulled her underneath his front bumper with a tire so she wouldn't accidentally be run over. Paul had focused his attention on Doc again, and was now lying by him, curled up and yawning, ready for a nap. Doc looked over at him and gently nudged him slightly closer with a front tire.

Paul got up without warning and plopped back down at Doc's side, snuggling into his door. He was soon fast asleep. Doc glanced down at him and smiled. Harry was scooped up by Flo, and was promptly set on her hood. She received a hug so big that he needed to splay his tires out for it. She looked down at him fondly as he giggled.

"Hey, man, that's my lady!" Ramone called teasingly from his spot. Flo looked over at him, trying not to laugh as she looked at him sternly. He caught the warning in her eyes, and promptly fell silent. Flo's attention fell back to Harry, who had fallen asleep with his wheels sprawled across her hood. She went to serve the town, Harry still asleep on her hood.

An hour or two later, he awoke, and discovered he was still on Flo's hood. "How was your nap, sweetie?" She asked him, and he giggled and hugged her hood again. "I'll take that as 'Good!'" She laughed, and entertained him for a while before he suddenly pointed at Ramone and squealed loudly. Ramone looked at Harry, surprised. "Yes, that's Ramone." Flo replied, smiling down at Harry.

"Bah?" Harry chirped, pointing at the ground with a tire.

"Of course, sweetie." Flo said, putting him down gently. As soon as he was on the ground, he half drove half tumbled over to Ramone, who looked down at him curiously.

"What do ya want, little man?" He asked, and Harry pointed at Ramone's hood.

"Bah!"

Ramone lifted Harry onto his hood, then began lowering and raising himself on his hydraulics, chuckling as Harry squealed and giggled loudly.

"That's what he wanted!" Flo laughed. Sara awoke from her nap, yawning widely, her pointy little canine teeth showing. She rolled out from underneath Fillmore's front bumper, blinking in the bright sunlight.

"Mornin', man." Fillmore smiled calmly, looking down at her. She chirped and laid down in front of Fillmore, watching an ant crawling along in front of her. She reached out a tire curiously to it, and it crawled onto her tire. She squealed excitedly, and held it up for Fillmore to see. He chuckled and replied, "That's an ant, man." It scurried along her tire, and she gasped in surprise.

She tried to get it to stay in one spot, babbling fiercely at it. She set her tire down too hard and squished it. She uttered a small whimper as she looked at the flattened ant.

"What happened, man?" Fillmore asked, looking down at her. She pointed at the ant, then looked up at Fillmore, her large brown eyes filling up with tears. "It's okay, man. It was an accident. Look, there's another one." Fillmore pointed another ant out, and Sara looked where he was pointing. She instantly perked up and rolled over to it. "Just be careful, okay, man?" Fillmore called to her. She chirped, not taking her eyes off the insect.

Paul had woken up and had managed to gain a spot on Doc's hood, where he was now lying contentedly, watching everything that was going on at Flo's. Doc was watching him fondly, and chuckled when Paul squeaked. Paul grew bored with watching the others and settled for pawing at Doc's emblem on his hood.

"He seems to like ya, Doc." Sheriff chuckled, watching Paul paw with his front tires like a kitten.

Harry pointed down at the ground on Ramone's hood and squeaked. "Bah?"

"Sure, little man." Ramone lowered himself down to the ground, and gently slid Harry off his hood. Harry landed with a soft _thump_ on the ground and giggled loudly. Ramone chuckled as he watched Harry roll towards Sheriff. Harry looked up at Sheriff curiously.

"Mornin, little fella." Harry replied by giggling and pointing up at Sheriff's hood.

"Bah?"

"Sure." Sheriff lifted Harry up with a tire and set him on his hood. Harry wasn't sure what to do, so he just laid down, looking up at Sheriff curiously and occasionally chirping or squeaking. As Sheriff looked down upon the baby, he got an idea. He grinned and began tickling the little car, who let off a long squeal and began giggling in a continuous stream of laughter. His laughter was contagious, and soon Sheriff was laughing too. Harry froze in mid-giggle and looked up at Sheriff, his eyes fixed on something just over his windshield. He pointed with a tire, and Sheriff was slightly hesitant. He didn't want the little car falling off.

He set him onto his roof, where Paul promptly began mouthing and pawing at Sheriff's bubble light. Sheriff sighed and adjusted his mirrors so he could see the little car. It wasn't long before Harry wanted to get down, pointing at Sheriff's hood and chirping, "Bah!" repeatedly.

"All right, all right. I hear ya." Sheriff said, lifting up a tire and bringing the baby back to his hood. Harry giggled and laid back down on Sheriff's hood.

Paul squealed suddenly, seeing his brother. Harry looked over and saw Paul and squealed loudly.

"Bah!" He kept chirping and pointing at his brother. The others laughed as the two called to each other with squeaks and chirps. Paul laid down on Doc's hood, tucking his tires beneath his body. He chirped once more, then yawned widely. Harry chirped softly, then went back to watching Sheriff.

Paul was out like a light in a few seconds, and Doc laughed softly.

Sara had followed the ant for a few minutes, then lost interest. She went back to Fillmore, and pushed both of her front tires on his VW symbol. He looked down at her calmly as she watched him, waiting for a reaction. When she got none, she squealed loudly. He smiled at her, but didn't do anything else. She finally gave up with trying to get a reaction from him and wandered over to Mack, who tried to back up. He didn't want to squish her, since she was smaller than his tire. She kept coming towards him, so he gave up. She nudged against his bumper, purring softly. He gently picked her up and set her onto his hood. She pawed at the Mack bulldog emblem on his hood, growling like a puppy. He laughed softly as he watched her, and she turned around to face his windshield. He watched as her eyes grew even larger then they already were and her mouth fell open. She rushed at his windshield, beeping her horn and squeaking. Mack winced every time she ran into him, and finally, she sank down onto his hood, panting, occasionally pawing at his windshield with a tire.

"Are you all right there, squirt?" He asked worriedly. She chirped and laid down on his hood, curled up into a ball. She started to slide, and squeaked in surprise. She got up and drove back towards Mack's windshield, snuggling up against it and purring.

"I think she likes you, Mack." Lightning said, grinning wickedly.

"I think she does." He agreed, looking down at the little orange Barracuda sleeping on his hood.

Harry got down from Sheriff's hood, and went over to Sarge, who completely ignored him. He squeaked loudly, and still got no answer. He backed up, and drove right into Sarge's wheel as fast as he could, knocking himself down. Sarge finally looked down at him, frowning.

"What do you want, you little runt?" He said coldly. Harry pointed up at Sarge's hood, and replied, "Bah?" Sarge rolled his eyes, but placed Harry onto his hood. Harry laid down on Sarge's hood, staring at him calmly. Suddenly, Harry got up and snuggled against Sarge's windshield.

"I think he's determined to get ya to like him, Sarge." Sheriff chuckled.

"For a runt, he isn't as bad as his sister." Sarge confessed, looking down at the little baby.

"Bah!" Harry agreed, making the others, including Sarge, laugh. Harry laid down on his roof and waved his tires through the air, watching Sarge as Sarge watched him back.

Paul was contentedly sleeping on Doc's hood, curled up into a little orange lump, and Doc reluctantly tried to wake him up so he could go practice with Lightning. Paul yawned squeakily, then blinked sleepily up at Doc.

"Sorry to wake ya, little guy, but I'm needed." Doc apologized, and Paul squeaked. He climbed onto the tire Doc was holding up, and was set down on the pavement. He went over to Sheriff sleepily and chirped. Sheriff chuckled, picked him up, then smiled as he went to sleep again, curled up into a little orange lump like before. Doc and Lightning left, and none of the little Barracudas noticed their absence.

Harry had fallen asleep after a few minutes of watching Sarge, still on his roof. Sarge snorted quietly, trying not to laugh at the comical sight on his hood. Harry had managed to fall asleep with three of his tires straight up in the air, while his left front one was in his mouth.

"I think he thinks ya make a good pillow, man." Fillmore said quietly, chuckling. Sarge scowled over in Fillmore's direction, then looked down at Harry to see that he hadn't woken up.

Sara was still asleep, snuggled up against Mack's windshield. He didn't have the heart to move her, so he let her be, even though he couldn't see the others very well around her. Suddenly, she began slipping off his hood in her sleep. Mack caught her, but his tires fumbled her tiny body and she fell off his hood. The others all gasped, and several rushed forwards to try and catch her. They braked just as quickly when they saw Mack catch her half a foot from the ground.

Sara woke up and looked up at Mack, her windshield filling up with tears. She began whimpering, and Mack gently set her on his hood. "Don't cry, it's all right." He said softly, and crossed his eyes for her, thinking it would cheer her up. She continued whimpering, and reached up a front tire, placing it on Mack's windshield. He looked down at her, and she looked up at him, and they stayed that way for a while.

"Dada?" She said finally.

"No, I'm not your daddy. He is." Mack said, pointing at Mater with a tire. She shook her hood 'no', and patted Mack's windshield.

"Dada!"

"I'm not your daddy, squirt, he is." Mack said again, pointing at Mater again. Sara nodded, then pointed down at the ground. "You want to get down?" Mack asked in surprise. Sara nodded, then pointed a tiny tire over at Mater.

"Dada!" She announced triumphantly. Mack set her down, then nodded.

"Yes, Mater's your daddy. Not me."

Sara fooled him by racing over to Fillmore and pointing up at him. "Dada!"

Mack rolled his eyes and shook his hood in bewilderment.

"No, man, I ain't your dad, that's him." Fillmore pointed with a tire over at Mater, and Sara still wasn't satisfied. She pouted, and pointed up at Fillmore firmly.

"Dada!" She exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, man, but I ain't up for that position." Fillmore looked down at her apologetically, then she sighed and laid down at his side.

"Dada?" she pointed at Mater and looked up at Fillmore questioningly.

Fillmore replied, "Yeah, that the right one, man." He smiled down at her calmly, and she finally understood. She drove over to Mater, and parked in front of him.

"Dada?"

He nodded, and she squealed happily. "Dada!" She exclaimed, and the others laughed.

"Does 'dada' count as her first word, man?"

"I would think so." Sheriff answered. Paul woke up just then and looked up at Sheriff sleepily, his big blue eyes half hidden behind his eyelids. Paul yawned widely, his eyes closing tightly for a few seconds, then they opened again to find two lighter blue eyes staring down at him. He sighed sleepily, and Sheriff chuckled. "Good mornin' to you too." Paul looked around for his other pillow, and found him nowhere. He looked up at Sheriff imploringly, and pointed at Doc's vacant spot, babbling in baby talk. "He left, but he should be back soon, little fella."

Paul rapidly babbled an answer, then huffed a sigh and laid down on Sheriff's hood again. "What was that?" Sheriff chuckled, looking down at the little boy. Paul turned to Sheriff and squealed happily, then laid down again. Paul happened to glance down at the ground near Sheriff's front right wheel, and noticed his curb feelers. He gasped in surprise, then pointed at them with a tire, babbling furiously. He leaned down over the side of Sheriff's hood to try and touch them, and would have fallen hoodfirst onto the pavement if Sheriff hadn't caught him quickly. Sheriff set him down on the ground, where Paul promptly began to attack the curb feelers, first pawing at them, then chewing on them. He spat them out of his mouth quickly, then made an 'Eww, those things taste gross' face, his tiny tongue flopping out one side of his mouth.

It was too much, Sheriff burst out laughing, along with the others who could see Paul's face. Doc returned with Lightning shortly, and Paul was happy to see his pillow had returned. He hopped up and down at Doc's side, waiting to be picked up.

"He really seems to like ya, Doc." Sheriff commented as he watched Doc set Paul on his hood.

Paul pointed over in Sheriff's general direction, then said very clearly, "Yucky."

Sheriff started laughing again, and Doc looked down at Paul with a slightly amused expression. "He didn't like the taste of them curb feelers too much." Sheriff explained. Paul pointed down towards the curb feelers and repeated his first word. Doc chuckled and patted Paul.

Flo brought out food for the three, who scrambled down from their playmates' hoods and drove over to her. Paul bounced up and down impatiently, wanting to get back to his 'pillow'. Flo set his plate down and was astounded as he dove right in, eating every single piece. He finished shortly after starting, then sat down by his plate and cleaned himself off, almost like a kitten. When he had finished, he drove back over to Doc's side, then yawned as Doc picked him up. He laid down once he was on Doc's hood, then curled up for another nap.

Sara finished hers after Paul, and cleaned herself up just like he had. She drove over to Red and nestled herself against the inside of his right tire. She fell asleep just as quickly as Paul had, and Red smiled down at her. Harry was the last one to finish, and cleaned himself off like Paul and Sara. He looked around before deciding on snuggling with Sally, who gently set him on her hood. He sighed before he went to sleep, and nuzzled her hood gently.

"Awww, they're so adorable when they're asleep." Sally said softly, looking down at Harry fondly. Red looked down at Sara and nodded his agreement before picking her up gently and setting her on his roof. She sighed and slept on, not noticing that she was now about twenty feet above the ground.

Paul huffed a sigh through his grille in his sleep, and rolled over onto his roof. Doc watched him, smiling. The little 'Cuda had really taken a liking to him. Mariana laid down at Mater's side, yawning sleepily.

"And you're all mine." Mater muttered softly to her as he encircled a front tire around her and pulled her close. She snuggled against his side and nuzzled him sleepily.

"G'night, dad." She yawned widely, and fell asleep, curling up at Mater's side. He was taken by surprise.

**How was this for a chapter? Starts out with a dose of peril, then ends with a triple dose of 'Aww!' Posted a new story this morning, tell me what you guys think, pretty please? Liz**


	12. Mariana's Past Revealed

He hadn't ever thought of Mariana as a daughter before, but now that he thought about it, he was like her father. He pulled her closer to his side, and nobody saw him smiling. Jack came hobbling out of Lightning's cone a few minutes later, and she was so unusually late that the others turned to look. She was hobbling quite badly now, with her wheel up in the air, and she avoided all contact between that wheel and the ground.

"What happened, Jack?" Lightning asked, slightly horrified.

"One of them," She nodded at Harry curled up on Sally's hood, "Fell asleep on my wheel last night and I didn't want to risk waking them up by moving them, so I let them be." There was no anger in her voice, so Mater knew that she wasn't mad, but he couldn't help feeling guilty all the same. "Which one's the one that answers to 'Squirt'?" She asked, looking around at the three babies.

Lightning grinned and pointed to the one on Red's roof. "That's the only one that wasn't being noisy. She fell asleep right away." Mater smiled and patted Jack apologetically. "It's all right. That's what being an older kid is all about. Taking care of the younger ones." She said, finally laying down gingerly. Mater sighed, but pulled her and Mariana closer underneath his bumper anyways. He happened to glance into the horizon, and noticed a dark, vertical cloud moving in their direction.

Thunder, who was lying at Mater's side, nuzzled Jack, then looked up at the cloud. "There's a thunderstorm coming." Jack told him, and didn't understand why he began getting fidgety. About half an hour later, he began whining.

"What's the matter?" Lightning asked, hearing him whining. Mariana didn't respond, and she watched as he just kept looking at the thundercloud creeping closer and closer. Lightning followed his gaze, and saw the big black cloud.

"Crap." He muttered, and looked down to Thunder, to try to comfort him. The only problem was that Thunder wasn't lying there anymore. He had grabbed Mariana and was loping back to Lightning's cone with Mariana swinging from his jaws.

"What's wrong with him?" Jack asked.

"He's terrified of thunderstorms." Lightning answered shortly, watching the ever-nearing cloud with a stony gaze. Jack knew better then to ask why, and began to drive back over to Lightning's cone.

Sara woke up abruptly and chirped. Red brought her down to the ground and she drove after Jack, squeaking and chirping. Harry and Paul woke up from their sister's worried noises, and followed after her.

"What's the hurry for?" Sheriff asked as he watched the line of children make their way quickly back to the safety of the cone.

"There's a thunderstorm comin', man." Fillmore drawled, seemingly not too worried.

The black cloud kept creeping closer and closer, and it reached the outskirts quickly, the skies darkening for miles around. The others were noticing the darkened skies also, and now began looking up curiously. Drop after drop of rain began falling, slowly at first, but quickly gaining speed. Thunder rumbled in a far-off cloud, and one by one, the townsfolk began pulling out of Flo's, saying about closing up their shops before the storm got too bad.

Lightning drove out of Flo's with Sally, and followed her over to the motel. She went to put the garage door down on the motel lobby, and Lightning went to find where Thunder had run off to. He went from room to room, looking in each of them. Finally, he found him squished under the couch, looking as though the world was going to end.

"Thunder, come on out, it'll be fine." Lightning tried to reason with him, but it didn't work. He heard another rumble of thunder, closer this time, and Thunder whined loudly.

Somewhere in the vicinity of Tailfin Pass, a green race car was calling out the name of his wife, searching for her desperately. He glanced up into the sky, saw the clouds, and sighed in defeat. He became oddly enraged, possibly due to the fact that his wife was nowhere to be found. His moustache twitched and quivered as he bristled against the raindrops splattering across his form, slightly peeling off the infinite stickers that plastered his body. He hated rain. Chick Hicks screamed in fury at the skies, just as a lightning bolt hit the ground some twenty feet away from him.

He didn't flinch, or even show any sign of shock that he had nearly died. Without his wife, Christine, he was already dead, his thoughts a constant repetition of _Where Is She? _He felt like his soul had been ripped apart, and he wanted revenge for her obvious death. He snarled, then turned on his radio to the classic rock station he had it tuned to at all times. AC/DC's 'Hell's Bells' was announced as being the next song that was going to be played after commercials.

His face contorted into something between a devilish grin and a sneer. He hated commercials. He left his radio on, and drove back towards the scrawny town he had given plenty of distance, and for good reason. The last time he had met up with some of its inhabitants, he had been beaten, then threatened to within an inch of his life. He scowled up at the sky as even more rain began to fall, and the thunder grew louder. He turned his radio up louder, and the gong-like tones of a bell began playing across the radio. Good. The commercials were over. He drove towards the depressingly little town as the electric guitar joined the bell, speeding faster than the speed limit. He didn't care.

All he wanted was to kill that stupid mutt, and the scrawny 'Beetle' of a child that he and Christine had stolen from the rubble and ashes of a former racecar and his wife. He had been the one who had tossed the match, the one who had poured the gasoline, all twenty gallons of it, into the house to start the blaze. He had made sure that he had taken the child after the firefighter trucks had seen her by the burnt bodies of her parents, crying and sobbing like her life depended on it. He had told the stupid firefighters that he and his wife would adopt the child, he had brought the child back to his home. Him, all him. Did Christine ever do anything? Besides losing the child, no. These thoughts circled around in his brain, making him snarl like some kind of wild beast. He loathed that little runt, and wasn't going to let a furball of a dog get in his way. The actual lyrics to the song started playing, and Chick's thoughts lapsed into silence.

_I'm rollin' thunder, pourin' rain, I'm comin' on like a hurricane. My lightnin's flashin' across the sky, you're only young but you're gonna die. I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives, nobody's puttin' up a fight. I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell, I'm gonna get ya, Satan get ya. HELL'S BELLS, yeah, HELL'S BELLS! Ya got me ringin', HELL'S BELLS, my temperature's high, HELL'S BELLS! _

The storm around Chick Hicks chose that moment to release a giant bolt of lightning, paired with a ground-shaking clap of thunder. Chick laughed at the timing, then continued on his way towards the cone where he knew the little brat would be staying. He turned his radio down, but kept it just loud enough that he could hear it over the storm.

_I'll give you black sensations up and down your spine, if you're into evil you're a friend of mine. See my white light flashin' as I split the night, 'cause if good's on the left, then I'm stickin' to the right! I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives, nobody's puttin' up a fight! I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to hell! I'm gonna getcha, Satan getcha! HELL'S BELLS, yeah, HELL'S BELLS! You got me ringin', HELL'S BELLS! My temperature's high, HELL'S BELLS! _

Chick snuck into the room by using the window. He looked around, taking in all possible escape routes. There was only the door way and the window. He muttered something softly under his breath and looked down at the large group lying in the center of the room. He gently began scooping the smaller lumps onto his hood, only to discover that they weren't lumps at all, only babies. He snorted in disgust and gently set them down again.

If one of them started crying, he's be screwed. He shut his radio off all the way, and began hunting around for the little brat. He found her, snuggled up against the mutt. He gently eased her out from beneath the dog's paw, and set her onto his hood. She never even stirred. Good. He crept out through the window again, and shut it securely. The rain woke the brat up, and just as she yawned, he shoved a rag into her mouth.

She closed her mouth promptly, and he slapped duct tape over it so she couldn't spit the rag out. She began struggling, and he held something under her bumper, she got a whiff of the drug and fainted, slumping down on his hood. He grinned maliciously, then drove out to Tailfin Pass again.

"Christine?" He called for his wife repeatedly, looking in caves and on cliffs.

"Chicky?" He heard a hoarse voice float up to him from the side of the cliff he had just passed and froze. Nobody ever called him that unless...

"Christie?" He poked his grille over the ledge, and saw what appeared to be a zombie. "Christie! What have they done to you?!" He asked in horror.

The car he was looking at wasn't his wife, but yet deep down he knew that it was. She was covered in mud and a thick layer of dirt, her windshield was horrendously cracked on the one side with a spiderweb of cracks reaching from that side to the other. Her whitewalls were flat, and they looked as if she had been chewing them ragged. Her fins were dented and starting to rust, not to mention that there were scratches, some shallow and some deep, running the length of her body.

"Chicky, don't look at me. I'm hideous." She whispered.

"It's not your fault, my dear. The cause of all our problems will soon be destroyed." He said comfortingly, and looked down at the drugged car laying on his hood with a mixture of disgust and hatred. The rain sped up until it was a downpour, and Christine winced as the rain stung her scratches. "Come, let's go find a nice cave to rest in." Chick said as he held out a tire for his wife to grab a hold of, and the two drove away, into the mountains. Thunder stirred in his bed, and turned to nuzzle Mariana, instead getting only air. His eyes still closed, he snuffled around for her. He couldn't smell her anywhere near, and his eyes opened. He didn't see her anywhere, but he did see a puddle on the floor by the closed window. That struck him as odd, and he snuffled around. Suddenly, he froze, growling softly. He knew that smell only too well.

**Sorry for not updating last week you guys! :( I was busybusybusy! And this weekend I've felt like crap and had my prom, and the after-prom party that went until five in the morning, so I was busy this week too. XD Not to mention, my laptop, where I keep all my better stories, just this morning decided to be a complete jerk and not cooperate with me. :( So there won't be any good stories that are being added for a while, at least not until(or if) it gets fixed. Thought I'd let you know, just in case you're wondering why there is a sudden decrease in short stories being added. See you next weekend, Liz**


	13. Thunder's Finest Hour

He dashed out of the room as quietly as possible, and charged into Lightning's room, then began barking. Lightning was startled awake, and tried to calm Thunder down, but nothing he tried worked. Finally he gave up, and followed Thunder.

"Where's Mariana?" Lightning asked, noticing that something wasn't right immediately. Thunder yipped, and pointed out the window. "Why would she be out there?" Thunder growled softly, and Lightning very abruptly had a thought. "Chick has her, doesn't he?" Thunder whined and bolted out into the rain, Lightning following. "I'll go get Sheriff, you go get Mack!" Lightning called, just as Thunder was about to follow the scent trail. He shook his head no, then pointed towards Tailfin Pass. "What do you mean, 'No'?!" Thunder barked, then took off, his nose to the ground and his ears dangling in the water running on the street. Lightning sighed, but went to get Sheriff.

Sheriff wasn't pleased about being woken up, but when he heard what had happened, he sped out of the courthouse and towards Tailfin Pass, Lightning following. Thunder was charging straight up the cliffs, not even using the road and only moving out of his invisible path for rocks too large to jump over. He reached the cliff where he had lost Christine, and quickly looked over the edge. She was gone, just like he had expected. He barked, checking to see if she was in the cave. His bark echoed like a freight train, but Christine didn't come out of the cave. Lightning halted in mid-struggle through the mud, and stopped Sheriff too. "Listen!" He exclaimed as the echoes of Thunder's bark thundered around them.

"That was just thunder after all, it is stormin'." Sheriff told him.

"No, that was Thunder the dog, I know it." Lightning shot out of the mud and back onto the road, Sheriff following. Thunder began whining, and paced at the ledge. He caught the scent of Christine, and followed it. He heard voices over the rain that were coming from a cave close by. He was drenched from the rain, and as he stood at the mouth of the cave, looking in, a bolt of forked lightning flew across the sky and thunder made the ground quake, putting him in shadow.

Chick and Christine gasped in fear, and Thunder lunged for them, growling. The two split up, leaving a drugged Mariana lying limply on the ground. Thunder scooped her up in his jaws, and charged for the exit of the cave.

"Not so fast, mutt!" Chick yelled, grabbing Thunder's tail. His head whipped around, and the glare he gave the race car sent shivers through Chick's frame. He let go quickly, and Thunder uttered a deep growl before racing for the exit again, only to find his way blocked by Christine.

"If you think you're going to come into our cave, and defeat us, then you've got another thing coming, you stupid, pathetic waste!" Christine screeched, flinging him aside with a front wheel. He fell against the wall of the cave, but got up and charged for her, growling. Christine snarled and swiped at him again, but she missed and he jumped onto her hood. She shook her hood fiercely, and Thunder flew off. He hit the wall of the cave again, and got back up. He growled around Mariana at Christine, glaring at her like he was trying to burn a hole through her. Christine growled back at him, and came for him. Thunder raced for her, jumped onto her hood, and onto her trunk before she could blink. He leapt off and went out into the rain, charging and slipping through the mud, still holding Mariana in his jaws.

"You pathetic, worthless mutt!" He heard Christine before he saw her. Her engine was howling above the storm's howl, and he knew that she was sliding in the mud too. The mud was his one chance. He had to get through it before she got to him. He began bounding through it, in great leaps. Christine copied him, and was gaining quickly. "I'll kill you both if it's the last thing I ever do, mutt!" Christine screamed, and Thunder was sure she meant it. He started charging through the mud again, churning it in Christine's face. She spluttered and stopped, spitting out mud. Thunder started running full out, trying to put as much distance between him and Christine as possible. It wasn't long before she came after him again, and a bolt of lightning hit the ground right in front of her. She gasped and backed up quickly.

She watched as Thunder kept on running, then sighed. She would get both of them in the morning, after all the mud was gone. Thunder was charging down the side of the road as fast as he could go, and didn't even see Lightning and Sheriff when he passed them.

"Thunder!" Lightning called out, and the large dog froze, sliding in the mud and getting even more muddy. He turned around and saw Lightning and Sheriff standing there, and his tail began wagging. "What happened to Mariana? What did they do to her?" Lightning asked, looking at how she was dangling limply from Thunder's jaws. Thunder whined, then pointed down the road, to where Radiator Springs was visible. He led the way through the pouring rain, Lightning and Sheriff following closely.

They reached the town about an hour later, and Thunder took Mariana over under the awning at Flo's. He shook himself free of rainwater, and laid down beside Mariana. He whined softly, trying to rip the tape off with his teeth. Lightning came over and ripped the tape off her bumper easily. A few minutes later, Mariana started to wake up. Thunder whined and nuzzled her gently, and all three were shocked when she spat the rag out and began crying. She hugged Thunder tightly, sobbing quietly.

"How did you-know-who get you?" Sheriff asked; Lightning had told him who had carnapped her.

"H-He must have grabbed me in m-my sleep!" Mariana sobbed. "Be-Because when I w-w-woke up, I was on his hood, a-and then he stuffed a rag in my mouth and put duct tape over my bumper to make sure I didn't spit the rag out!" She rushed, sobbing slightly louder. Thunder nuzzled her gently, and she hugged him more tightly.

"Did he hurt you at all?" Lightning asked worriedly. "Ooh, that pile of... of..." Lightning looked around for something nasty to call Chick, and grew silent at Sheriff's glare.

"N-No, i-it just scared me!" Mariana bawled. "Wh-What if he does it again? And next time he hurts Thunder? Or Mater?" She choked out, still sobbing.

"All we're worried about for the time being is you." Lightning replied, picking her up and nuzzling her hood gently. He set Mariana down and watched as she made her way over to Thunder. Mariana curled up in between his front paws and hugged him tightly, burying her hood into his fur and sobbing. Flo came out of her lobby, looking worried.

"What's the matter?" She asked, seeing the four sitting there.

"Mariana was carnapped again." Lightning said gravely. Flo gasped and drove over to the group.

"They didn't hurt you, did they honey?" Flo asked Mariana gently.

"N-No, they took me away though." Mariana sobbed, tears running freely down her hood. She drove over to Flo slowly, and Flo picked her up and hugged her tightly. Mariana tried to stop crying, hiccupping occasionally. Thunder turned towards Tailfin Pass and growled threateningly, then got up and started trotting back towards the cliffs.

"Where are you going?" Lightning called, catching up. Thunder growled, but didn't answer. "Okay, I'll stay here." Lightning said in a scared voice, then dropped back hastily. Thunder marched towards the cave again, growling angrily. The thunder and lightning was starting again, and he was ready to finish those two once and for all.

_Back In Black, I hit the sack, I've been too long, I'm glad to be back. Yes, I'm let loose, from the noose. That's kept me hangin' about. I'm lookin' at the sky, 'cause it's gettin' me high. Forget the hearse, 'cause I never die. I got nine lives, cat's eyes, abusin' every one of 'em and runnin' wild. 'Cause I'm back! Yes, I'm back! Well, I'm back! Yes, I'm back! Well, I'm back, back! Well, I'm Back In Black! Yes, I'm Back In Black! Back in the back of a Cadillac. Number One with a bullet, I'm a power pack. Yes, I'm in a bang, with a gang, they've gotta catch me if they want me to hang. 'Cause I'm back on the track and I'm beatin' the flack, nothin's gonna get me on another rap. Don't look at me now, I'm just makin' my play. Don't try to push your luck, just get outta my way! 'Cause I'm back! Yes, I'm back! Well, I'm back!, Yes, I'm back! Well, I'm back, back! Well, I'm Back In Black! Yes, I'm Back In Black! _

Thunder charged into the cave, and found them there.

"Back for more, are you?" Chick sneered.

Thunder let his growl speak for him.

"I'll take that as a yes!"

The two drove towards him, and he charged straight for Chick. Chick gasped and backed up, but Thunder kept running at him. Thunder snarled and bit into Chick's tires, making them all blow out, one by one, so he could no longer move.

"You little prick!" Chick exclaimed angrily, and was almost wacked in the face by Christine as she charged for Thunder. Thunder escaped only by jumping onto Chick's hood.

"Little bitty mutt likes to play games, does he?" Christine shrieked angrily. Thunder snarled at her from his position. "All right, then come and play!" Christine growled, charging for him. He leapt out of the way and Christine rammed into Chick.

"Hey, watch it!"

"Oh, put a tire in it, you idiot!" Christine snarled at him, then she went for Thunder again. Thunder leapt onto Chick's roof, and Christine hit Chick from the side, watching as Thunder fell off. There was less than three feet of space between the wall and Chick, and Thunder was right in between them both. Christine shoved Chick towards the wall, trying to crush Thunder. He leapt onto Chick's hood, and then onto Christine's. She shrieked and shook her hood fiercely, but he was too quick for her.

"Why don't you die already!" Christine screamed at him, her engine howling. Thunder snapped at her tire as she flew by him, her tire popped, and flew off her rim. "You waste of a dog! Look at what you did!" She shouted, and began limping at him, growling fiercely. He snapped at her other tire, and it popped but didn't leave the rim. Christine swatted at him with her now-flat front tires, hissing and growling menacingly. Thunder jumped onto her hood, then onto her trunk and onto the ground behind her. He popped those tires also, and Christine tried to back up, but by the time she got rolling, Thunder wasn't behind her anymore. She slammed into the wall of the cave in reverse, which exploded her gas tank, sending a cloud of smoke and fire up towards the cave ceiling. Thunder growled at Chick, who moved closer to Christine so he could reach Thunder.

He caught fire also, and one by one, the flame attacked the seemingly endless number of stickers, until the flame made its way to Chick's gas tank, which also exploded. Thunder escaped just as scattered car parts flew out of the cave from the force of the twin explosions. He saw something flying through the air, and jumped up to catch it. It was Chick's back bumper, and it was green under the sticker remains, and covered in soot. He wagged his tail, and trotted towards home, thinking that Mariana was safe. He trotted at a fast pace back to the town, the bumper in his mouth and his tail wagging. He trotted over to Flo's, and sat down by Mariana and the others.

"That better not be what I think it is, Thunder..." Lightning said, tugging the bumper out of Thunder's mouth and looking at it. "So this is all that's left?" He asked finally, and Thunder barked happily, his tail wagging. Lightning smiled, then nudged Mariana with a tire. "Hey, look! Chick and Christine are done for!" he exclaimed happily, holding up the bumper.

"Where on earth didja get that?" Sheriff asked, slightly cautious. "Thunder found it, and it's Chick's bumper!" Mariana looked at it warily, then moved closer, investigating it.

"Why's it all covered with soot?" She asked, looking up at Thunder, who wagged his tail but didn't respond. Mariana continued to stare warily at the bumper until Thunder picked her up in his jaws. Then, she looked up at him happily.

"My furry hero." She said, smiling.

**Hello, people! I know I usually update on Saturdays, but I'm going to be busy, so here you go! :) ~Liz**


	14. The Triplets Tackle Tricky Tumbles

He wagged his tail, and carried her over to the cone when she yawned. "I'm not sleepy, honest." Mariana's feeble arguments drifted back to Lightning and Sheriff, who chuckled and departed, Flo already having went inside her café lobby. Lightning went back over to his cone, where he found Thunder and Mariana passed out on the couch. He chuckled and laid a blanket over the two of them before he left to go check on Mater's remaining children. The rest were all asleep soundly, except for Jack, who was awake.

"You all right?" Lightning asked quietly, looking down at her worriedly.

"My axle is aching a little, but other than that, I'm fine."

"How much is 'a little'?" Lightning asked suspiciously. Jack sighed.

"All right, you got me. It hurts worse than you can imagine."

"That's what I figured. I'll go get Sally. Maybe she'll know what to do."

"Sally _always_ knows what to do." Jack teased, grinning wryly.

Lightning laughed and left to go get Sally, who arrived shortly, yawning. "...And I just don't know what to do, Sal, so I thought you could help, because you always know what to do." Lightning's voice drifted into the room from the hallway, and Jack barely repressed a snort of laughter. _Buttering Sally up is bound to get you anything, Lightning._ She thought, giggling. Sally and Lightning came in, and Sally looked at Jack's axle, which was still bent. She tried moving it gently, then backed off as Jack hobbled around.

"What's the prognosis, Dr. Carrera?" Lightning snickered, and Sally tried her best not to laugh.

"I think all you should do is try popping it."

Jack tried to pop her axle back into place, and with a ringing sound of metal being hammered on, it popped back into position. "Thanks, Sally!" Jack exclaimed quietly, hopping onto Sally's hood and hugging her.

Sally smiled down at her and replied, "Glad I could help." Jack slid down her hood and onto the floor, where she fell promptly asleep. Sally smiled and drove out of the room, Lightning following her. He kissed her, then told her he'd see her in a few hours. She grinned, then yawned, said goodbye to Lightning, and left to get a few more hours of sleep. Lightning did the same, and soon all was quiet in the cone.

Lightning awoke to something poking him sharply in the tire. He yawned and stretched, then looked down. There was Sara, gnawing on his tire with her little fangs as though she were trying to tear a chunk off. She bit into his tire particularly hard, making him yelp and back off. "I'm not a chew toy!" He exclaimed, and she growled before attacking his tire again. "Come on, let's go get you something you can actually bite into without hurting me." He looked around when he promptly had an idea. "Let's go see if there's any extra cones lying around." Lightning said, and drove over to Sally's where she was just coming out of her lobby, yawning. He caught her mid-yawn with a kiss, surprising her.

She returned the kiss, then opened her eyes and smiled. "You're the only one I know that can kiss like that."

Lightning blushed, but asked Sally if she had any traffic cones lying around, all the while trying to fend off Sara, who was continually biting him harder and harder. "Looks like somebody's discovered their new chew toy." Sally laughed, then replied that she did. She drove back into her cone, then brought out a cone a little bit bigger then Sara. She waved it teasingly in front of Sara, who let go of Lightning's tire and scampered over to the cone, sinking her teeth into it.

"Problem solved."

"Thanks, Sal, you think of everything." Lightning said gratefully. "Now, as for you-" He scooped Sara onto his hood, laughing as she giggled. "That wasn't very nice, missy. I think you deserve a great, big tickling!" He began tickling her, laughing as she giggled and squealed and screamed, squirming around on his hood wildly. Her cone flew off his hood and she whimpered, reaching out a tire for it. Lightning set it back up onto his hood and she pounced it, then began chewing on it, growling like a little puppy. Lightning and Sally laughed, then drove over to Flo's.

"Looks like someone's found herself a chew toy." Sheriff snickered, looking at Sara as Lightning set her down on the ground.

"Yeah, her first one was me!" He complained, which got a laugh. At a whimper from Sara, Lightning looked down at her. Somehow, she had managed to get the cone wedged around her hood, front fenders, and undercarriage at the top of the cone, and now was lying on the ground, puzzled at what to do. She squeaked and the cone amplified it, making it about two times louder.

"Awww, Lightning, get her out." Sally begged, even though she was laughing quietly.

Sara shook her hood as hard as she could, trying to get the cone off, and ended up whacking Lightning in the bumper with the other end.

Everyone at Flo's burst into laughter except for Lightning, who looked down at her and exclaimed, "Hey! Why am I the only one you beat up?" Sally laughed even louder, watching Sara turn around and growl at him through the cone.

She drove over to Fillmore, whimpering, giving him the puppy eyes. He pulled the cone off with some difficulty, then handed it to her again. She growled, then pounced it, tumbling hood over wheels. She bit into it ferociously, growling and snarling like a pint-sized bear. "She's feisty!" Sheriff exclaimed, laughing.

"Yeah, you can say that again." Lightning muttered miserably, watching her. She heard his voice and growled at him again before going back to attacking her toy. "See? She doesn't like me!" Lightning told Sally, who was laughing. "And I haven't done anything to her, either!" Doc was chuckling softly to himself as he watched Sara growl slightly louder at Lightning. "Her brothers like me, I don't know why she doesn't!" He complained. Sara looked at him and opened her mouth to growl, when Doc stopped her, laughing.

"All right, Sara, that's enough." She looked to him eagerly, then began attacking the cone again, sinking her fangs into it deeply.

"You told her to what?!" Lightning asked in shock.

"I told her to growl everytime you said something, or picked her up, or did anything." Doc replied, laughing. Sara came over to Lightning, and as he braced for another attack, she opened her mouth widely. She squealed loudly, pointing at Lightning's hood. Lightning picked her up, and she snuggled against his windshield, purring softly. She laid down on his hood and yawned, but then Lightning set her down.

"Oh, no. You go sleep with Fillmore. I don't want you waking up and biting me again." He said, nudging her in Fillmore's direction. She sighed sleepily, then drove over to Fillmore's side, snuggling against his tire. She was asleep in seconds. Thunder woke up abruptly, and looked around. Someone had laid a blanket over him and Mariana, and the sunlight was streaming through the windows.

He stretched, yawning widely, and noticed that the fur on his front legs was all matted with mud. He looked down at Mariana and saw that she too was covered with dried-on mud. He nudged Mariana, trying to wake her up. She didn't wake up, so he tried again. He got a mumbled, groaning reply, and Mariana rolled over on the couch, pulling the blanket over herself more. Thunder yipped urgently, nipping her tire gently. Mariana sighed, mumbled something that sounded like, "Thunder, I'm sleeping, go away.", then fell asleep again.

Thunder whined and carried her outside. He caught Red's attention, and he washed the mud off both of them with a high powered-stream of ice cold water. Mariana woke up with a gasp, spluttering and gasping as the water hit her. Thunder motioned to Red to turn the hose off, and he wagged his tail when Red did. Mariana was standing there, glaring up at him, her eyes bloodshot, shaking from the temperature of the water. "Thunder, I was sleeping." She whined, and he had to look closer to see that she wasn't glaring at him, her eyes just made it look like she was. She snuggled against his side, still soaking wet, and fell asleep again. Seeing her eyes made Thunder realize what had happened the night before, and he nuzzled her gently. He was doing a horrible job of being the father-figure-slash-friend she wanted.

He fell asleep also, curled up around her, his muzzle on her hood. Lightning petted Thunder gently with a wheel, and watched as he curled tighter around Mariana. Sara had managed to fall asleep with the cone still in her mouth, and was chewing on it occasionally in her sleep. Lightning looked over as the rest of the group emerged from his cone, yawning sleepily. "And there's the rest of our entertainment." He snickered, as Paul tumbled down the ramp first, hood over wheels. He stopped a few feet into the road going around Sally's motel, looked around curiously, then got up.

Harry came tumbling out the same way Paul had, only he stopped at the edge of the ramp and began whimpering. Sally drove over to him, and picked him up. "Don't cry, it's all right." Sally comforted him, and set him back down when he giggled. He drove over to Flo's with her and Jack, giggling as Sally tried to tickle him.

He darted over to Flo, scrambled onto her hood by himself, then said, "Bah?"

"You little dickens!" Flo said, laughing and hugging him. He squealed with laughter and hugged her hood, before falling asleep again.

"Is it naptime already?" Lightning snickered, looking around at Mariana, Thunder, Sara, and Harry. Paul had driven over to Doc, and was now giggling as he played hide-and seek with him. Everytime he would hide, Doc would wait for a few seconds, then nudge him gently with a tire, sending Paul into fits of giggles.

"I think he wants ya to go with him, Doc." Sheriff spoke up, for now Paul was pulling on Doc's tire and babbling.

"All right, let's go." Doc sighed, scooping Paul onto his hood. He pulled out of Flo's, then paused. "Where to, little guy?" Paul promptly pointed back towards the Butte, and Doc sighed. Of course. He drove off towards the Butte, and soon Sara was awake. She nudged Fillmore's tire, then pointed with her front tire towards the road.

"C'mon, man, I'll take ya to my place." He picked her up with a tire and drove off towards his dome. Harry woke up, blinking and yawning sleepily.

"Naptime's over for you, right sweetie?" Flo smiled down at him. He giggled and hugged her hood again. "Goodness, you like hugs." She smiled, hugging him back with a tire before he slid down off her hood. "Now, go play, okay sweetie?" She nudged him gently towards Thunder with a wheel, and he went over to Thunder as fast as he could. In one sudden move, his wheels slid out from underneath him and he landed with a painful-sounding _clang_ on the pavement. He started wailing loudly, and raced to Thunder's side, still crying. Thunder whined and nuzzled him gently, his tail thumping the ground behind Harry.

**Hi, everyone! :D Here I am! Guess what?! It's almost summer vacation for me! :D Read and review, please? ~Liz**


	15. Sara and Sarge's Showdown

Harry froze, tears still running down his hood as he looked up for the source of the noise he heard. He spied Thunder's tail, then crept closer to it, looking up at it curiously. He touched it gently with a front tire, and it wagged faster. He tried to pin it to the ground, but Thunder teasingly kept it out of his grasp.

"Great job using your tail as a distraction, Thunder." Lightning muttered, watching Harry swat at the giant dog's tail. The others gradually went back to what they had been doing when they saw that Harry was going to be fine. About ten minutes later, Thunder let out an odd screeching noise and went completely rigid. "What's the matter? What's wrong?" Lightning asked worriedly, looking over at him in alarm.

"Here's your problem, man. The little piranha bit down on his tail!" Ramone declared, holding up Thunder's tail to reveal Harry, his mouth clamped tightly over the end and showing no signs of letting go.

"Guess he finally figured out how to catch your tail." Lightning said, chuckling weakly. Thunder growled at him, then grabbed hold of Harry gently but firmly. He tugged and tugged, but Harry wouldn't release his grip, only chomped down on his tail harder, causing him to make the odd noise again. "We've got to get Harry off him!" Lightning exclaimed.

Just then, Doc returned with Paul on his hood and noticed the group clustered around Thunder. "Now what's going on?" He asked, and Lightning held up Thunder's tail as a reply. Doc saw the tiny Barracuda dangling from it, and barely suppressed a laugh. "Here, all you've got to do is tug him off."

"We tried that."

"Then show him somethin' else. Maybe he'll drop Thunder's tail and go for the other object."

Sally darted over to her lobby and pulled out another small cone. "Here, Harry, look what I've got." She called teasingly, and showed the cone to him. He didn't let go of Thunder's tail, just sniffed cautiously at the toy. Suddenly, he spat Thunder's tail out of his mouth and darted for the toy. Sally dropped it quickly before he nipped her tire off.

"There. Now he's got something to chew on, just like his sister." She said happily after watching him lay down at her side, mouthing the cone as he chewed on it. Thunder whined softly, looking at his drool-covered, crushed tail.

"Nobody would've guessed that he would do that, Thunder." Lightning said, trying to comfort his friend. Thunder whined again and laid down, watching Paul paw at Doc's tire gently.

Fillmore and Sara were playing hide and seek late into the evening, when Sara fell asleep while hiding behind one of the bean bag chairs Fillmore had scattered throughout his dome. He called for her repeatedly, and finally found her snuggled up in the chair, almost hidden from view, the plastic cone dangling from her mouth. He smiled, then decided to let her be. "I'll be right back, man. Don't go nowheres." He said softly, then drove out of his dome and back over to Flo's. "Hey, man. That little 'Cuda, she fell into dreamland in one of my chairs. Is it cool with ya if I keep her for the night, man?"

Thunder nodded his approval, still in too much pain to say much of anything.

"Far out, man." Fillmore smiled, then drove back over to his dome. Sara was still there, snuggled into the chair. Fillmore laid a tye-died blanket over her, then fell asleep also.

He was awakened in the early hours of the morning to somebody growling nearby. He cracked his eyes open and blinked around sleepily. He saw Sara awake and growling at something outside his dome, and drove over to her. "Do y'know what time it is, man? Little gals like you are supposed to be dreamin'." He said sleepily. Sara turned to him and pointed out his doorway with a tire, and she seemed to be trying to tell him something even though she couldn't completely talk yet. Fillmore yawned and scooped her up with a tire. "C'mon, man. You sleep over here." He set her down in the chair closest to where he had been sleeping, then laid the blanket over her. She immediately yawned and snuggled deeper into the chair. "There now, you see, man? You are tired." Fillmore smiled, then laid down next to the chair. "How about if I sleep right here, man?" He got a light sigh for an answer and when he looked, he saw that she was already asleep, snuggled against his side. He fell back asleep also, one tire laid over her protectively.

He awoke about five hours later to Sara chewing on her cone toy and growling softly. "Come here, man. I wanna show you somethin' groovy." Fillmore called, and she scampered over to his side, looking up at him curiously. He turned on one of his numerous lava lamps, and Sara's expression turned from merely curious to one of eager shock. She babbled furiously and went as if to touch it, but Fillmore pulled her back with a tire, saying, "No, man. It'll be too hot for ya." He drove over to a record player, and turned it on. Jimi Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner poured out into the morning air.

Sara turned to the record player, and smiled. She giggled, then began trying to sway with the music. Instead, she ended up toppling over onto a pillow of Fillmore's. She began sniffing, her tiny grille twisting and bending slightly, then drove out of the dome, only to be startled back inside by a blast from a trumpet. She squealed in fear and darted underneath Fillmore, shaking. "Hey, man. It's cool. It's just Sarge." At the mention of Sarge, Sara began growling softly, and chewing on her cone toy. Once the trumpet stopped, Sara cautiously went outside again, then squeaked at Fillmore to come outside. Fillmore drove out behind her, and smiled as she jumped into a slightly frosty patch of grass. She hit the hard ground, and squealed in surprise. "What's the matter, man?" Fillmore called out to her. She raced around the back of his dome, and he found her there, jumping up and down repeatedly on the hard ground, seemingly as hard as she could. She squealed each time, but didn't stop. "It's called 'frost', man, and it happens whenever the earth decides it's time for winter." He explained to her, and she looked up at him, her eyes wide. He could see the comprehension dawning in her eyes. She babbled an answer, then batted at a tall bunch of grass like a kitten, knocking off some of the ice crystals down onto herself.

She shook them off then continued pawing at the bunch of grass that was at least two times bigger than herself. "Here, man. Here's your cone." Fillmore said, holding it out to her. She giggled, then took it from Fillmore. She babbled her thanks, then the two went over to Flo's. She spotted Sarge coming out of his Surplus Hut and growled before taking off after him without warning. "Hey man, be cool!" Fillmore called after her. She chased Sarge back into his home, and she slid underneath the closing steel door. From inside came the sounds of growling and someone yelling, along with banging and screeching brakes.

The others heard the noise and drove over, slightly curious. "What's going on in there?" Doc asked, looking slightly worried.

"Oh, that little gal decided she really doesn't like Sarge, so she chased him back into the Hut, man." Fillmore replied calmly.

"Ouch, you little monster!" Sarge exclaimed over the sounds of growling and a small horn.

Mater and Lightning snickered as they listened to Sarge yelling. It seemed like he was losing to Sara in the battle of aggressiveness. The banging and yelling increased, until they heard two loud bangs on the steel door, almost as if two bodies had slid into them. "Mariana, see if ya can get in there, okay?"

"Sure, Mater." She replied, then drove back to the oil drums. She clambered onto one and jumped inside through the window. She didn't see either Sarge or Sara, but she did hear lots of banging and screaming along with the occasional screeching of brakes. She heard the two bangs on the steel door again, then Sarge came speeding into view, screaming and yelling wildly. When he saw Mariana, he braked quickly and went into a long, screeching skid. "Where's Sara?"

"She's on my bumper." Sarge hissed through gritted teeth. Now that he wasn't screaming, Mariana heard the sounds of a tiny car growling. She drove around behind Sarge for a look and there she was, dangling by his bumper. Sara tightened her grip and Sarge yelped in pain. "Get this little runt off of me!" he exclaimed, trying to shake Sara off.

She hung on, and bit down harder. Sarge yelped again and started speeding through the maze of surplus he had created, screaming and yelling again as he rammed his sides into the shelves, hoping that the banging would scare Sara away. Mariana scrambled out through the window and drove back to the others.

"What's the matter?"

"Sara's latched onto Sarge's back bumper, and won't let go, so he's trying to get her off himself even though she's got a set of nasty teeth." Mariana explained with a straight face, then burst out giggling as the others laughed.

"Should we help him?" Sally asked once the laughter died down.

"She'll eventually get bored and let go." Lightning said, not bothering to hide his wicked grin.

"Lightning, that's horrible!" Sally shoved him playfully, but she ruined the effect by laughing.

The others began to drift away and head towards Flo's, but a long, drawn out "Oh, noooo!" and a scream from inside Sarge's brought most of them back. After the loud exclamation, there was a loud crash, then everything was silent.

"Sarge? What happened?" Sally asked, fear in her voice.

The door rolled up, and Sarge was standing there, slightly out of breath and scowling. "Finally got her off." He replied, and began rolling outside, muttering about "wild animals" and "little runts not even being worth a car". Suddenly, he was pulled back inside with no warning. His gasp of surprise and the garage door rolling down let the others know what had happened, and the screams and bangs didn't help the matter.

The effect was instantaneous. Lightning and Mater were laughing so hard they had both started crying, rolling around on the ground. Sally was hiding her windshield behind her wheels, and was trying hard not to laugh. Doc and Sheriff were both chuckling. Luigi and Guido were discussing what had happened in rapid Italian, then laughing loudly. Ramone and Flo were discussing who would win, and Fillmore was the only one not laughing, and instead just smiling serenely.

Mack arrived shortly, and looked around at the others in confusion. "What's going on?"

Lightning got up off the ground, panting and giggling occasionally, his eyes still watering from laughing so hard. Mater followed suit, and both merely looked at each other before collapsing on the ground again, laughing and giggling like five-year-olds, Mater kicking his tires in the air as he lay flat on his roof.

Mack looked down at them with a slightly worried glance, then asked Fillmore, who was the only one not laughing.

"Sara really don't like Sarge, man, so she decided to chase after him."

Mack guessed there was more, but didn't question the matter further. A loud bang close to the door, and the noise of metal scraping across concrete made the others turn and look worriedly. Lightning and Mater were laughing so hard that their giggles were silent as they rolled around in the road.

"Ahh, you little brat! Get off me!" There was the sound of rubber hitting metal, then a loud clang as something hit the ground. They could hear Sarge, who sounded like he had slid across the concrete on his hood then gotten up, near the door, but no Sara.

"Sarge? Where's Sara?" Sally asked timidly.

"Right here." He said gruffly, and the garage door rolled up to reveal him holding her up in the air with a tire and scowling at her. She was dangling limply from his grasp, and the others gasped, thinking the worst.

"You didn't!" Sally exclaimed, remembering the sounds of rubber hitting metal, then the clang.

"'Course not. Do I look like a killer to you?" he asked gruffly, looking at Sara with distaste.

"She wasn't letting go, and I slid on my hood, so I screamed at her, and she still didn't get off. I kicked a piece of metal off me to try and scare her away, but it didn't work. She fell off my bumper, and when I got up to look, she'd fallen asleep." He finished, then tossed Sara over to Fillmore. "Here, you crazy hippie. She prefers you over me, so make sure she's nowhere near me when she wakes up." He snorted, scowling at the two of them.

Fillmore nodded. "Sure thing, man."

Sarge's grille contorted into a scowl. "Good." He drove back inside his home, and the others could see that it was a mess inside.

**I had so much fun writing this. XD Sara doesn't like Sarge too much... *starts grinning evilly* She's just a little monster, isn't she? :) Seems like the only one she's willing to bond with is everybody but Sarge. XD Read and review plz? Thanks, Liz**


	16. Comedy Hour with Sara and Sarge

They began to drift away, muttering or laughing about what had happened. Fillmore looked down at the tiny car in his grasp and smiled.

"For once, ya seem to have got him back, man." He said softly, then carried her back inside his dome. He set her down gently on the bean bag chair she had slept in last night, covered her with his blanket, then went outside to decorate his yard some more.

He had found some really old wooden wagon wheels, and he wanted to use them in his yard somehow. He counted them out again and was happy to see that there were still twelve, which meant that not a single one had been lost. He pondered over what to do with them, then decided on stacking them in piles of five on either side below his sign, then leaning one on each stack. He rolled backwards slightly to examine his work, then closed his eyes and shook his roof. "Nah, it still don't look right, man." He said to nobody in particular, then parked in the middle of his yard, thinking hard about where to put them. His sullen, thinking expression brightened abruptly, and he drove over to one of the piles. He grabbed one of the wheels from the pile, and propped it up against the tree in his yard. Then he went back to the piles and kept taking one wheel at a time and placing them at random throughout his yard. One leaning against his windmill, one against the side of his dome facing the road, another against one of the posts holding up his sign, and the rest scattered through his unmown grass.

He rolled backwards in the road again, thinking that it looked perfect, and now all he would need to do was paint them, each one different. Just then, Sara rolled out of his dome, blinking in the bright sunlight. Fillmore looked up at the sun to check the time, and realized that he had taken at least three hours to decorate. Sara came across a randomly placed wagon wheel, and squeaked in surprise. She sniffed at it cautiously, then lost interest as she chased a butterfly. It landed on a patch of grass, and Sara raised her back bumper while keeping her front bumper closer to the ground. She looked like a kitten ready to pounce.

Fillmore watched her as she pounced at the butterfly, but missed as it fluttered away at the last second. She tumbled into the grass, then giggled from in the cluster of tall grass. A bent blade of grass tickled her hood, and she sneezed, little flames coming out of her tailpipes and the butterfly valves opening and closing in the blower on her hood. The grass was singed by the tiny flames, and she crawled out of the grass, looking like she might sneeze again. Another blade of grass tickled her grille, and she sneezed again, shooting forwards a few feet as the valves opened and closed and the flames came out of her tailpipes. "Gazundheit, man." Fillmore smiled, rolling out of her way as she flew by him. She giggled, then pointed over towards Sarge's and growled. "No, man. You already taught him a lesson." Fillmore said, scooping her up with a wheel. She squeaked, then pointed over at the road. "Sure, man." Fillmore replied, and was slightly surprised when Sara grasped his remaining mirror in her front wheels and used it to climb onto his roof. "Don't fall, man." He cautioned her, then began rolling towards the road. Sara laid down on his roof, and purred softly as she felt the wind rush over her hood. Fillmore drove over to Flo's, then set Sara down.

"There she is!" Flo smiled, picking Sara up. "Here's the little monster." She said, smiling as Sara giggled.

Sara pointed at Mater and exclaimed loudly, "Dada!" Flo smiled and set Sara down, laughing as Sara sped over to Mater, latching onto his side. "Hi, Dada!" She giggled as Mater snickered.

"She's talkative today." Sally smiled down at Sara, who giggled.

"Hi!" Sara chirped, giggling.

"Hi to you too, silly." Sally said, picking Sara up.

Sara giggled and waved a tire. "Hi."

"Hi, you little monster." Sally laughed.

"Hi." She said, pointing at Lightning, who didn't notice. "Hi." She said again, waving at him. He still took no notice of her.

Sally nudged him with a tire. "Stickers, she's saying hi to you."

Lightning looked over at Sara and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Squirt. Hi." He smiled at her.

"Hi!" She chirped, waving a tire.

Lightning laughed and waved back at her. "Hi, Squirt."

"Hi. Hi. Hi. Hi." She said, bouncing up and down in Sally's grasp.

"Somebody's hyper today." Sally laughed as Sara pointed down at the ground with a tire. "Go say hi to Sarge, sweetie." Sally whispered to Sara, who looked around, looking for Sarge. Sally pointed him out, and Sara said uncertainly, "Sarge?"

"That's right! Good job!" Sally smiled.

Sara pointed at Sarge with a tire and said, "Sarge?"

"That's him."

Sara growled suddenly, making Sally laugh. "Don't you like Sarge?"

"No."

"Lots of new words today, right Squirt?" Lightning laughed.

Sara raced towards Sarge, shouting his name the whole time. Sarge backed up quickly as she growled and tried to snap at him.

"SargeSargeSargeSargeSarge!"

"What?!" He exclaimed finally, annoyed.

"Hi." With that, Sara drove away, leaving Sarge shaking with anger.

The others laughed, and Lightning said, "Now that she knows your name, you're doomed!" Sarge scowled at him, then muttered something to his coffee, which was straight black.

"Hey, man, don't call her that. I'll set her on ya again, man." Fillmore spoke up, and Sarge looked horrified. The others laughed, and Sarge scowled but kept his mouth shut.

Sara drove over to Doc and waved a tire. "Hi. Hi. Hi."

"Hi to you too." He replied, smiling down at her. She beeped her horn and drove off, going over to Luigi.

"Hi?" She said uncertainly.

"Hello." Luigi smiled at her, making her giggle. Guido peeked around Luigi, and Sara gasped. She began babbling angrily, swiping a tire at Guido, who was backing up, looking horrified.

"What did you do to her, Guido?"

"Non ho fatto niente!" Guido replied quickly, backing up as Sara kept babbling angrily at him and advancing.

"Guido says-a that he didn't do anything." Luigi translated. Sara suddenly stopped babbling at him and waved a tire.

"Hi, Gui."

"Who's Gui?" Lightning asked her.

"Gui!" Sara said, pointing at Guido.

"I think she's tryin' to say Guido, man." Ramone spoke up.

"No, bambina. Guido." Luigi said, pointing at Guido.

"Gui?"

"Guido."

"Guidoo?" She asked uncertainly.

"No, Guido."

"Guido." She said, pointing at Luigi. There was a firmness in her tone that made the others laugh.

"No, bambina. Guido." Luigi corrected her, pointing at Guido.

Sara pointed at Guido and said, "Hi, Guido."

Guido smiled and waved one of his forks at her. "Ciao, bambina." He greeted her.

She giggled and swatted at his fork playfully. He lifted her up gently until she was face to face with him. She giggled, waving a tire at him. "Hi, Guido."

He smiled, then set her down.

"No. Up." She said, reaching up with her tires and looking up at him with a pleading look. Luigi laughed, then picked her up. "No, Guido!" She exclaimed, reaching out her tires for Guido.

"Looks like Guido's got himself a fan." Lightning laughed.

"Ciao." Guido said, trying to teach her to say hello in Italian.

"Chow?"

"No, no, Ciao."

"Ciao?"

"Si, Ciao!"

"Ciao, Ciao, Ciao!" Sara sang, giggling. The others laughed as Sara pointed to Luigi and said, "Weegee."

"I am not-a a 'Weegee'." He replied, looking at her in bewilderment.

"Just go with it, Luigi." Lightning muttered, snickering.

"Weegee!" Sara exclaimed, pointing at Luigi. "Guido an' Weegee!" She giggled, making the others laugh.

Harry yawned from his spot on Sally's hood, getting up from his nap. Sara pointed at him with a tire and started babbling a mixture of all the words she had learned. The others all chuckled, except for Sarge, who muttered something about cleaning up the mess that remained in his Surplus Hut. He drove off, rolling his eyes.

"Sarge!" Sara's shout made him freeze. He turned around slowly and saw her waving at him. He sighed and began driving away again. He heard Sara driving towards him, and instinctively raised himself on his shocks so she didn't drive underneath him again. She flew underneath him anyways, and just barely missed catching him with her blower. She flew out from underneath him, skidding around so she was looking up at him. "Sarge." She whimpered, wanting him to stay.

"What?" He asked, and the others were shocked to find that his voice was gentle.

She crawled onto his hood and splayed her tires out on his hood, cocking her hood to the side slightly as she looked up into his eyes, giving him a pleading expression. He sighed, then asked, "You want to chase me, don't you, midget?"

She giggled and smiled, which Sarge took to mean yes. "All right. Only for a little, because I've got to go clean up the mess you made." Sara squealed happily, then slid down from Sarge's hood. He began driving off down the road, and Sara flew up behind him, the others watching in utter disbelief. Sara jumped up and latched onto his bumper again with her teeth, growling playfully. Sarge yelped and stiffened.

"Hey, I didn't say do that!" The others all laughed as he tried to shake her loose, but she just bit down slightly harder, still growling playfully. "Playtime's over!" Sarge exclaimed as he began driving to his home.

"No, Sarge!" Sara said, letting go in a flash and landing on the ground.

"Then no more biting, got it?" He said firmly. She jumped up, latching her front wheels onto his hood and splaying them out as she tried to climb up, her back wheels kicking at his grille, trying to push herself up.

"Ouch, watch it!" He exclaimed gruffly before pushing her back bumper up with a tire. She sprawled on his hood, panting from trying to pull herself up. Sarge looked down at her, rolling his eyes slightly.

"Sarge." She said happily, petting Sarge's hood with a tire.

The others all laughed, and Sarge replied, "Hey, stop that." His tone deceived him, and the others laughed again. "Let me get this straight. You beat me up, then you try to make it better by acting cute?"

Sara just kept petting his hood and murmuring, "Sarge."

Sarge rolled his eyes and sighed impatiently. "Is that a yes or no?" He asked.

"I think she's in love with you." Lightning laughed.

"All right, you. You're coming with me." Sarge glared down at Sara, who giggled. He drove over to his Surplus hut, and the garage door went down. The others exchanged worried glances.

Sarge ordered her down off his hood and held up a tire for her to climb onto. Sara shook her hood and replied, "No!"

Sarge flashed her a warning look, and in response, she batted a tire at his windshield. Sarge pulled her off his hood and set her down. "Yes." He said gruffly.

"Noo!" Sara whined, scrambling to get back up onto his hood.

He backed up away from her. "Yes."

She plopped down on the cement floor and looked up at him, her eyes filling with tears.

His expression hardened as he looked down at her. "No crying."

Her bottom lip began quivering, and she began sniffling.

Sarge glared at her and repeated the order firmly.

She started wailing, tears running down her hood as she collapsed on the cement in a heap.

Sarge rolled back slightly, an expression of utter shock on his face, which was replaced by a guilty look. "Don't cry, please. I'll give you a cookie if you stop. I'll let you chase me. Just please stop crying."

Sara stopped wailing and looked up at him tearfully, sniffling.

Sarge looked down at her in amazement. He hadn't thought that would work. "Thank you." He sighed in relief. "Which do you want to get since you stopped crying?" He asked. Not liking himself very much, he wiped a tear from her hood with a tire.

She pointed up at him.

"I don't know what you want unless you tell me." He said gently, not wanting her to start screaming again.

She pointed a tire up at him and said, "Sarge, up." Sarge rolled his eyes and picked her up, setting her on his hood gently. She laid down. "Cookie?" She asked, not too sure what a cookie was.

"You want a cookie?"

She looked up at him in confusion. He rolled back to where he lived and opened a cabinet, pulling out a jar of cookies. He handed her one, and she looked at it blankly.

"That's a cookie." He told her, and saw that she still looked confused. "You eat it." He told her, seeing that she had never had a cookie before.

She hesitantly took a bite and instantly brightened. "Cookie!" She exclaimed before hurriedly stuffing the rest into her mouth.

"Don't do that, you'll choke." He told her, and she turned around, her mouth full of cookie.

She mumbled something indiscernible, then swallowed mightily. She looked up at him triumphantly, as though showing him that she knew what she was doing.

"You are one bizarre child." He muttered, rolling his eyes.

**XD XD XD XD Not going to lie, this chapter is one of my favorites. Just picture a tiny Barracuda babbling like a three-year-old for the entire thing, and it gets even more adorable. :D EmilyTheBrave, I don't thank you enough for being the only one to take the time to leave reviews on each and every chapter I publish, and I couldn't ever thank you enough for it. :) It really makes me happy that you enjoy my stories so much, and I love going camping. I know that it may seem that I don't reply to your reviews, but that's only because I haven't figure out a way to do that in the reviews yet. :) Once I do, you'll never get me to shut up. XD So here's to you! CHEERS! :D ~Liz**


	17. A Surprising Twist of Fate for Two

She giggled, then pointed at the cookie jar. "Cookie?"

"You just had one. I'll give you one tomorrow."

She offered a squeak for an answer and yawning, she curled up.

"Nap time, is it?" He sighed when she didn't respond. He placed her gently on his mattress, then covered her with his army blanket. "Finally, now I can go clean up." He muttered, then left to go clean up the Hut.

A few hours later, Sarge looked out one of the windows just as he was finishing up and noticed that it was dark out. He looked into his room and saw that Sara was still sleeping. She had curled up at the head of the mattress, and Sarge sighed reluctantly. She'd have to stay where she was for the night. He rolled onto the mattress carefully, trying not to wake Sara in case she'd start crying again. He gently set her on his hood and covered her with his blanket before drifting off to sleep.

Sarge woke up a few seconds before his bugle alarm went off at five o'clock. He shut it off quickly when it turned on, not wanting to wake up Sara, who was used to sleeping much later. He was surprised when Sara awoke a few minutes later, yawning and stretching like a cat. She looked up at him blankly, momentarily too tired to register anything.

"Sarge." She mumbled drowsily, still looking up at him sleepily.

"You should still be sleeping, midget." He said softly, looking down at her.

"Cookie?" She asked around a giant yawn.

"Later. Go back to sleep." He assured her, satisfied to see her sink back down under the blanket and fall asleep again. He didn't have the heart to turn on the record player and wake her up again, so he settled for raising the flag and saluting it. Once he rolled back inside at about five fifteen, Sara yawned widely, then blinked sleepily, still laying on Sarge's hood. "Morning, midget. It's still early." Sarge said softly as Sara patted his hood, staring off into space sleepily. He noticed that she was shaking slightly, and asked what was wrong.

She snuggled deeper under the blanket, shaking.

"You're cold, aren't you?" He sighed, then took her into his bedroom, setting her down by his heater, which had just kicked on. "Don't touch it." He cautioned her, and left to go complain to Fillmore about his choice of music.

He came back in about a half an hour later to find her snuggled into the blanket, asleep again. Sarge sighed and went out into his shop, making sure everything was organized for the customers that he doubted would be coming. He drove back into the room to check on her at about eight, and found her awake, lying contentedly by the heater.

When she saw him, she squealed happily, squirmed out of her blanket cocoon, then raced over to him, nudging his tire with her hood and saying, "Sarge, up." repeatedly.

"How do you ask nicely?" He said, looking down at her.

She offered him a confused look for an answer. "Please?"

"Pwease, Sarge, up?" She asked, looking up at him hopefully.

"Good enough." He sighed, lifting her up onto his hood with a tire. She laid down and rubbed her fender against his hood in a sign of happiness. He watched her, trying to show no emotion. She was warm from the heater, and as she rolled over onto her roof, Sarge was reminded of a miniature heating blanket.

She looked up at him upside down, and giggled. "Sarge, cookie, Sarge?" She babbled.

"How do you-"

"Pwease cookie, Sarge?" She said quickly.

"You catch on quick. And yes, you can have a cookie." He smiled slightly.

She squealed in delight. "Cookie, cookie!"

He drove over to the cabinet and pulled out the cookie jar. Sara's wheels started pedaling through the air excitedly, and Sarge snorted, trying not to laugh. He pulled out a cookie from the jar and handed it to her.

"Cookie!" Was all he understood before she crammed it into her mouth, making her look like a chipmunk.

"I thought I told you not to do that, midget." He said, looking down at her. She looked up into his eyes and mumbled something through the cookie. She looked so much like a chipmunk with a mouthful of nuts and berries that Sarge had to fight the urge to laugh. She swallowed twice, then pointed down at the ground.

"Did you even _taste_ the cookie?"

Sara nodded, then pointed down at the ground again.

Sarge looked at her suspiciously. "Open." He said finally.

She shook her hood 'no'.

"Open, or else I won't set you down."

"Sarge, pwease?" She mumbled through a mouthful of cookie.

"I thought so. Finish your cookie first, then you can get down."

Sara sighed, then swallowed.

"Done now?"

"Sarge, pwease?"

"Yes, you can get down." He lifted her off his hood and down onto the ground, where she giggled and raced for the door leading outside. "Hey!" He exclaimed, taken by surprise.

She turned around and called, "Sarge!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." He replied, driving over to her. He knew what the problem was: She couldn't figure a way out. He pressed his tire against the door button, and it rolled up. "What do you say?"

"Pwease?"

"No, thanks."

"Tanks, Sarge!" She giggled before driving outside to roll in his perfectly-mown grass. "Sarge." She drove over to him, and pulled on his tire.

"I'm not rolling in the grass."

"Pwease?"

"I'll watch you, but no, I'm not going to." He said gently, nudging her with a tire. She sighed and went to go roll in the grass again.

"Hey, man!" Fillmore called from his yard.

Sarge rolled his eyes.

Sara popped up, looking around alertly. She knew that voice.

"Over there." Sarge muttered to Sara.

Sara saw Fillmore, and waved. "Hi!"

"Hey, man!"

Sara giggled and laid down in the grass, sniffing it. She looked puzzled for a few seconds, then tasted it. She drew back instantly, a disgusted look on her face. "Eww." She said quietly, looking at the grass with a hateful expression.

Sarge sighed, shook his hood, and rolled over to her. "You're not supposed to eat it." He sighed again and laid down in the grass beside her, watching as she climbed onto his hood without too much difficulty. She rolled down off it and into the grass, giggling. She climbed back up again and rolled back down. Sarge watched her with a slightly amused expression as she kept climbing onto his hood, then rolling back down.

"Sarge daddy?" She asked, looking up at him and placing a tire on his grille.

"No, but I wish." He said softly, looking down at her regretfully. **(A/N: *gasp*)** She patted his grille, then climbed back up onto his hood, laying down and gazing up at him. He had to admit, she was cute when she wasn't attacking him.

"Ready to go?" He asked her a few minutes later.

"See Weegee?"

"Yes, to go see Luigi, and the others too."

She smiled up at him, and Sarge was reminded of his niece, Cassie. She hadn't been to see him in a long time, and he expected that she had grown out of visiting her uncle. He got up off the grass, and Sara sprawled her wheels out, trying to hold on. Sarge rolled towards the road when Sara gasped. "What's wrong?"

"Budgieboo!" Sara babbled, looking around for her cone toy.

"What?" Sarge asked her bluntly.

"Hey, man! Was she lookin' for this at all, man?" Against his better judgement, Sarge turned around and saw Fillmore holding the cone toy Sara had been chewing on.

"Budgieboo!" Sara exclaimed, tumbling off Sarge's hood in her eagerness to get her toy. She landed in a heap on the ground, and as Sarge was about to comfort her, she shook her hood, then got up and raced towards Fillmore. "Tanks!" Sara said as Fillmore handed her the toy.

"Tanks?" Fillmore asked bluntly, looking down at her with a confused expression.

"I taught her some manners." Sarge replied gruffly.

Sara came back over to Sarge, chewing at her toy busily. "Sarge, up pwease?"

He picked her up and set her on his hood, where she laid down and kept chewing on her toy, her sharp little teeth leaving puncture marks. Sarge began driving towards Flo's again, and it wasn't long before Sara spotted Luigi and Guido.

"Guido an' Weegee!" She exclaimed, bouncing up and down on Sarge's hood.

"Hold still. Then I'll put you down." Sarge instructed, and was secretly amused when Sara froze. He set her down, and she took off like a shot, leaving her toy lying on Sarge's hood. He looked down at it and sighed, driving into Flo's. Sara was now happily perched in Guido's forks, playfully swatting at his windshield.

"You like her, don't you?" Flo said quietly as she delivered Sarge's coffee.

Sarge decided for the truth. "Like a daughter." He sighed, watching Sara play.

"Her and Cassie would have lots of fun together."

"They sure would."

"Why don't you see if Mater would let her stay with you?"

"I don't think he would." Sarge sighed, taking a sip of his coffee.

"You'd be surprised what Mater will do." Flo smiled, then took Fillmore's order. The more Sarge thought about it, asking Mater was a good idea. He saw Mater rolling out of his yard, and decided that it was now or never. Sarge rolled down the street as the others watched, Flo smiling as she saw he was taking her advice.

"I've been thinking. You'll need some better weaponry if you plan on defeating that Fury." He said gruffly, and he was sure the others were able to hear. Mater considered, then nodded and nudged Mariana, Jack, Harry, and Paul over towards Flo's. He followed Sarge over to his Surplus Hut, and Sarge rolled the door down. Mater looked around the inside of the Hut while Sarge was busy deciding on what to give Mater in exchange for Sara.

"All right. I've been thinking. What if I took that little monster off your wheels for you?"

Mater gave him a confused look, and Sarge continued.

"She's sort of grown on me, and as you know, Cassie hasn't come around in years."

Mater nodded without answering. He didn't see where Sarge was going with this.

"Yes, you'd let me adopt her, or yes you understand?"

Mater replied, "Shoot, that's all ya wanted? Heck, I'll let ya keep 'er."

Sarge looked at Mater in disbelief. "You would?"

"O'course I would! She seems to really like ya when she's not attackin' ya."

"I appreciate it. Now, take some night-vision goggles, and don't tell anyone what had happened in here, all right?"

"Sure thing!" Mater said happily before heading towards Flo's.

Sarge sighed with relief, then closed the door to his Hut and drove back over to Flo's. At last, she was his. He watched her play with the others, giggling and squealing. He imagined bringing her to Flo's every morning to see her brothers.

Sarge pulled out of his daydream to see her being chased playfully by Sheriff, who had his siren on for her entertainment.

By the end of the day, she either knew names or used nicknames of her own creation. She giggled and waved goodbye to Sheriff, who she called 'Weewoo' because of the noise his siren made. She had the joy of hearing it earlier when he raced after Jack and Thunder, who were racing on the main road.

She called Thunder 'Brownie' because his fur was brown, Doc was 'Blue', Lightning she had butchered to 'Lighty', Fillmore was 'Filly', Ramone was 'Ramen', and Mariana was 'Maria'. She seemed to understand that she had been adopted by Sarge, because when night fell, she drove over to Sarge sleepily and yawned.

"Go home?" She asked, looking up at him as her eyelids drooped.

"Soon." Sarge muttered.

She pointed to his hood, then yawned.

"All right." He lifted her up onto his hood, where she curled up, blinking sleepily, waiting for Sarge to leave. Mater shepherded the other four back over to his yard, all of them blinking sleepily and yawning. Sarge gruffly replied good night to the others as he left, Fillmore driving back to his dome ahead of him. Sara fell asleep on his hood as Sarge was driving back, and Sarge tried not to look down fondly at her. He reached his Surplus hut and drove inside quickly.

Once he was inside and the door rolled down, he sighed with relief. Sara whimpered softly in her sleep, then rolled over and stopped. Sarge looked down at her fondly, then rolled into his living area. He wrapped her clumsily in his blanket before setting her by the heater, so she'd be warm. He rolled onto his mattress, laid down, then looked over at her, sleeping peacefully. He smiled fondly, then drifted to sleep. He awoke the next morning briskly at five, turned his alarm off, then yawning and blinking sleepily looked over at Sara, who sighed in her sleep and rolled over, still wrapped up slightly in Sarge's blanket. She kicked out her back wheels in her sleep, and mumbled.

"Come on, midget, time to get up." Sarge said softly, gently nudging her with a tire.

**How adorable was that? I tried to make it *dies from cuteness*-worthy. And did anyone see Sarge as the fatherly type? I have to admit, I didn't. XD **


	18. Life at Sarge's

"No, Sarge, still sleepy." She muttered before falling asleep again.

He sighed. There was another way to wake her up. He really didn't want to, but knew that he had to. He turned on the record player, cranked it up a bit higher then normal, then went outside to raise the flag as Revile began playing from the record player. He heard a sharp cry when he had finished saluting the flag, and knew that it had worked.

"Sarge!" Sara cried out.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." He said, rolling back inside. He found her sitting by the heater, clutching the blanket tightly around herself as she shook.

"Sarge, up pwease?"

"Sure." He lifted her onto his hood, and she plopped down, still holding the blanket. She fell asleep again within minutes, and Sarge sighed. He decided to take her outside, to see if she would wake up.

"Hey. Wake up." He said softly, shaking his hood from side to side gently. She mumbled something indiscernible and slept on.

"Hmmm... Hey, is that a giant cookie I see?"

"Cookie? Where?" Sara asked, shooting up and toppling off Sarge's hood into the grass.

"Morning, midget." Sarge replied, smiling and patting her roof gently. She crouched lower in the grass and pounced at a small insect, seemingly oblivious to the time now that she was awake. Sarge parked at the edge of the grass and watched her. It wasn't long before she was bounding and hopping around, having lost interest in the bug. She spotted a bunny crouched under a bush and froze, going into a crawling position. She inched closer to it, until she was less then a foot from it, then pounced at it.

It stepped on her with one of its huge back paws as it scrambled to get away. Sarge heard her squeal of pain, then saw her race out of the bush towards him, wailing and crying. She jumped into the air and he caught her, looking worried.

"What happened?"

"Bunny stepped on me!" She exclaimed, then began crying again.

"Where?" Sara pointed to her hood, and Sarge gently set her on his hood.

"Let's go inside and see what can be done to fix that." Sarge said, driving back into his Surplus Hut. He glanced down at her and saw that she had wrapped herself up in his blanket. "Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"I've got something that will make you feel better, but it's a surprise."

"Okay." Sara sniffed, then closed her windshield tightly.

Sarge checked, then told her, "No peeking." As quietly as he could, he pulled out a cookie from the jar, then held it up in front of her. "Okay, you can open them now."

She squealed happily, and launched herself at the cookie, ending up on the countertop. There, she broke the cookie into halves, holding one out to Sarge. "Cookie? I sharing."

"I'm okay. You eat it." He smiled at her.

"Is Sarge sure?" She asked, giving him a suspicious look.

"Yes, Sarge is sure. Maybe later I'll let you help me make more." He said, laughing softly.

She shoved one half into her mouth at a time, then squealed. "Yay! More cookies!"

"Feeling better?"

Sara giggled, and Sarge smiled. He figured that she did.

"Go see Filly?" She asked.

Sarge hesitated. He didn't want to tell her no, but he didn't want her going to see the hippie. He sighed, then picked her up and set her down. "Sure, he's right next door, all right?"

"Tanks, Sarge!" She giggled, racing off towards Fillmore's. It was eerily quiet when she drove inside Fillmore's dome, and Sarge knew something wasn't right. Seconds later, Sara shot out of Fillmore's dome, squealing loudly.

"Sarge! Filly asleep, so I waked him up!" She giggled.

Sarge fought the urge to laugh, and told her, "You shouldn't wake people up when they're sleeping."

"But I wanna play with Filly." She protested.

"I know, but he's tired. For now why don't you play in the grass?" Sarge suggested, wishing that he could've been the one to surprise Fillmore into waking up. For an answer, Sara got down from his hood and tumbled through the grass, giggling. Sarge laid down again in the grass, figuring that they would be there for a while. Sara drove over to him and laid down at his side before getting bored and doing somersaults in the grass.

"Ta-da!" She announced triumphantly after completing two in a row and landing on her wheels.

"Hey, that was pretty good." Sarge smiled at her.

"Sarge turn!" She declared.

"No, I don't do somersaults."

"Pwease?"

"No."

"Pwease?"

"No."

"Okay." Sara said grumpily, then pouted.

"No pouting." Sarge said, tickling her.

She squealed and scrambled to get up, giggling wildly. Sarge chuckled and kept tickling her.

"Noo!" She exclaimed, giggling and squealing and squirming.

A month passed from then, and Sara grew to be about the size of Sarge's tire. One morning, she awoke from cuddling with him, yawning and blinking sleepily. She looked around, and saw that Sarge was still sleeping. She grinned wickedly, then honked her horn loudly, startling Sarge.

"Wha-Whosat?!" He exclaimed, scrambling and flailing around wildly.

Sara rolled out of the way of his wheels, giggling loudly. "Gotcha!"

"You stinker!" Sarge exclaimed, chasing her out into the early morning sunlight playfully.

She flipped around to face backwards as she drove, and stuck her tongue out at him, blowing a raspberry.

Sarge tried not to laugh, and failed. They both slowed to a stop, still chuckling.

"You get more and more mischievous by the day." Sarge growled, and she giggled.

"That's me! Mischief for hire!" She announced, then the two laughed. Sarge sighed.

"Now that you've effectively woken me up, how about we go over to see the others?"

Sara laughed, then replied, "Sure, I can't wait to tell Mater."

Sarge rolled his eyes. Ever since she had started living with him, she and him had always had a bond, but Mater was her wild and energetic playmate, along with her brothers.

They arrived, and Sara wasted no time in starting to play fight with her brothers. The others all cheered her on, laughing as the three Barracudas rolled around on the pavement.

"I think that last match taught her somethin'!" Ramone said as he was busy placing bets on who would win.

Flo swerved around the wrestling trio to give Sarge his coffee, smiling down at them as they careened towards Mack. He backed up quickly, getting out of their way as fast as possible.

**I know it's not Saturday, but I'm going on vacation later on today, and I didn't want to leave any of you without the next chapters of my stories to read, so here you go. :) Enjoy and Happy summer, Liz**


	19. The Perils of Snow

They tumbled by him, and it wasn't long before Paul broke out of the pile and fled for Willy's Butte, the other two laughing and following him. "Those three." Sheriff sighed, shaking his hood in mock disgust and sipping his coffee, making the others laugh. He laughed along with the others, and Sara came speeding back. "I finally got the turn right!" Just as quickly as she had come she was gone. The others smiled, remembering how much trouble the turn had given her.

"I nailed that turn faster then her." Lightning boasted, sipping his coffee smugly.

"And I nailed the turn faster then you." Mariana said, making the others laugh and Lightning give her an annoyed look. She nudged him playfully, then said, "You and me. At the Butte. Tonight at seven, don't be late." She drove off with Thunder and Jack flanking her. She arrived at the Butte, and called out to the three.

"Hey, anybody want to go up to Wheel Well?"

"We do!" Came three simultaneous answers. The six made their way towards Wheel Well, playfully racing each other and shoving each other off the road. Thunder barked and nipped their tires playfully as they laughed and turned around to pet him before driving backwards, a skill Mater had taught them. It was a crisp November day, chilly and promising snow. The three Barracudas were excited since they had never seen snow before. They reached Wheel Well about forty-five minutes later, and decided to go to the waterfall instead. They traversed back the way they had come until they got to the waterfall, then they made their way down cautiously. They all sat at the water's edge, skipping stones for a while, then Sara spoke up.

"Mariana, tell us the story of how Thunder saved you, Doc and himself from the mountain lion." Thunder looked to Mariana, to see that she was smiling. "I've told you that one already."

"Come on, please?" Paul and Harry pleaded, and she sighed. She began to tell the story, acting it out for their entertainment. When she got to the part where he heard the calls, the others all gasped and huddled closer together, watching Thunder with wide eyes.

"Then, out of nowhere, this giant mountain lion JUMPS out from the darkness right at us! We all screamed and ran for our lives! Thunder was carrying me, I was so scared that I passed out, when Doc calls out to him! I look back, kinda awake, and see that overgrown house cat chasing him with its teeth showing! He charged right for the two of them, and he tossed me to Doc as he went by him. Thunder snarled at the lion then he ran at it. He bit into its tail, and it practically screamed! Boy was it mad! It swatted at him, and he was within an inch of not having a nose anymore! Can you believe that, less then an inch. Now, that made him mad, so he bit its tail again, but this time he hung on. It started going after Doc and me again, so he sunk his teeth into its throat." Thunder mimed biting at something. "Just like that, and he hung on, and even though he had his teeth locked on it, it still didn't die. It went down to its front legs, and it was dragging itself with them, and he just kept sinking his teeth deeper and deeper into its throat. I saw that it wasn't working, so Thunder charged around in front of it, standing in front of Doc and bit down on its head. The lion raised his paws up and dragged them down his side, and there was blood everywhere. He sunk his teeth into its skull, crushed it, and killed it." Mariana finished, sitting down by Thunder and giggling as he began licking her side. "It was so much worse then the way it sounds. I made it sound easy. I was terrified that he was going to die, all because of that monster." Mariana told the others. Suddenly, Thunder looked down at his muzzle, cross-eyed.

"What's the matter?"

"Is it just me, or is it starting to snow?" Mariana asked. It was starting to snow, little tiny flakes drifting gown from the sky.

"Snow, Snow!" Paul and Harry shouted, driving around with their tongues out while Sara sat down and stuck her tongue out, waiting for the flakes to come to her. It started snowing heavily, and the boys squealed and giggled.

"We'd better get going before it gets too bad, all right?" Mariana announced, and the others agreed.

Thunder set off in front of the group, leading them home.

He felt one of them, most likely Harry or Paul, holding onto his tail. He didn't look back, just kept going as the snow kept falling faster and thicker. Everywhere he looked, snow, snow, and more snow.

He had to find a safe place before the others froze. A large dark object loomed out of the storm, and Thunder walked towards it. He was digging a trench through the snow now, with the others following him, their eyes almost shut against the wind and snow. He reached the object, and discovered a large shed.

Numb from the cold, he nosed the door open and shuffled inside. Once the last one in shut the door, he turned to count them. Something wasn't right, so he counted again. He whimpered as he realized why he was coming up one short. Sara was missing. Mariana figured out why he was upset, and told the others to stay in the shed, away from the door, and watched as he charged out into the snowstorm to find Sara.

He saw a small shape huddled in the snow, almost buried by the rising snowdrifts and charged towards it. It was a rock, and he growled in frustration and turned away. He closed his eyes and focused on Sara's scent. He caught just a whiff of it, and took off in the general direction that the smell was coming from. He found her, buried in snow all the way up to her windshield, which was closed. He yanked her out of the snow, and placed her on his back. He followed his scent back to the shed, where the others were huddled against the back wall of the shed. When Thunder closed the door, they all clustered around him as he laid down, nudging Sara off his back and onto the ground at his side. She wasn't moving, and he feared the worst. 'Sarge is going to murder Mater, then me...' He thought with a groan and whimper, lying his head down. The others snuggled against some part of him, trying to get warm. They all fell asleep shortly after, Paul, Harry, and Jack lying across Thunder's back while Mariana was lying at Thunder's side, along with the limp form of Sara.

He woke up suddenly with a jerk. What time was it? He looked outside and saw a sky covered with patches of clouds. In the spaces in between the clouds, he saw a dark sky littered with stars.

**Hi! Updating early because I've got things to do tomorrow! Another thing, my keyboard is low on battery power, so if I don't update for a while, that's why. See you, Liz**


	20. The Ultimate Showdown

He got up to go see how high the snow was, but froze when he heard a low growl. He thought he saw the glint of eyes in a dark corner near the back of the large shed and instantly was on his feet, standing over the cluster of children. They would be a meal for a mountain lion or bear if Thunder wasn't careful. He thought he heard a soft whimper from beneath him, and he looked down to see Sara had rolled over and was now awake. He pushed her down towards the ground with a paw, trying to keep her from attracting attention, all the while looking into the dark corner where he had seen the glint of eyes. He felt a tap on his paw, and lowered his muzzle, but didn't take his eyes off the corner. "It's Sara. What's going on?" The growl sounded again, and he felt Sara stiffen. He heard Sara poking and whispering to the others, when suddenly, she exclaimed, "NOW!" Five sets of headlights came on, and there was a startled mountain lion huddled in the corner.

It screeched and charged for them, hissing and spitting like a rabid animal (Thunder reminded himself that it most likely was rabid). He stood his ground, and barked for the others to scatter for the door. They scattered instantly, and rejoined at the door, forming a line that sped away randomly into the night. Thunder led the lion out the door and in the opposite direction. It followed, snarling and hissing furiously. Suddenly, it slid to a stop, pricking its small ears up alertly.

"Thunder!" Thunder heard the faint call again, and groaned as the mountain lion took off back in the direction of the children. He charged through the foot of snow that was on the ground, and leapt onto the animal's back, almost snapping it as the mountain lion slid a few hundred feet then slowed to a stop. He saw Jack come charging at him, and growled, telling her to back away. Jack just bit into the creature's ear as hard as she could, her green eyes flashing through the icy blue.

The mountain lion screamed in pain, and swatted at Jack with a paw. She jumped backwards, then bit the animal's paw, jumping back when it swatted at her again. She kept darting in and biting the lion, then jumping backwards as it swatted at her with a paw. "What are you waiting for?! Kill it already!" She exclaimed, and Thunder sunk his teeth into its neck, snarling and growling. The lion's paws twitched, then began flailing madly as Thunder swung the animal back and forth. He growled, then yelped as it caught him with a paw in his right side, all its claws sunk into his fur. He bit down harder, and the lion dug its claws in deeper.

Thunder was nearly screaming in pain, but he fought it and felt one of his teeth puncture something in the cat's throat. He dropped it quickly as it released its grip, then backed up quickly, his side dripping blood. The cat lashed out at him again, scratching him deeply in the same side. He screamed in pain, then placed his jaws around the lion's skull. Jack saw what he was going to do and fled, knowing what would happen. Thunder bit down as hard as he could, and the mountain lion's head was crushed like a rotten tomato, blood everywhere. Thunder stood over the dead cat's body, shaking and panting heavily from the fight.

"Thunder." A scared voice brought him back from where he was reliving the gruesome scene in his mind. He looked down to his right and saw Sara and the others. They were shaking, and refused to look down, instead looking up at him. Paul and Harry had their eyes shut tightly against the scene. Thunder looked down at them in horror, just now realizing that they had been able to see the whole fight. The snow around them was stained red, and tracks littered the area that Thunder and the mountain lion had been fighting in. Thunder himself was covered in blood from his front to about halfway down his back, his right side more covered in blood then the left because of his injuries.

"Let's go home, you guys." Mariana said quietly, and her voice shook. Thunder turned around to head for home, and Mariana gasped suddenly as she noticed he was missing something. "Thunder, your tail!"

The others gasped as they saw Thunder's lack of a tail. Thunder looked back and yelped loudly.

"Where is it?! Where's his tail?!"

Thunder raced around, looking for it frantically and more blood flowed from his side onto the ground.

"Thunder, stop, please! You'll bleed to death!" That caught his attention, and his head snapped over to the group to see Sara crying silently as she looked horrified that she had said it, as though saying that had predicted the future. "We need to find his tail." Mariana said firmly, and she could see something like a limp snake in the snow.

It was his tail. She picked it up, then urged the others to hurry. They raced back towards Radiator Springs, and were right behind one of the empty buildings when Thunder collapsed into the snow, keeling over.

"No!" The others cried out, rushing to his side.

"What do we do? I've never thought about what would happen if Thunder wasn't here!"

"I have." Jack replied firmly, her expression set. "Mariana. You go get Doc. He'll be in his garage. Sara. You go get Sarge to tell him what happened. Paul and Harry, go back over to Lightning's. There's a button to open the door hidden under the top cone on the left side of the ramp." Jack replied, taking charge quickly. They went to their assigned places, and Jack stayed with Thunder, shoving him in the side to try to keep him awake. She turned her radio on loudly, hoping to keep him from fainting, and found Daughtry's 'It's Not Over' blaring across the radio.

_Takin' all I could take, and I cannot wait. We're wasting too much time being strong, holding on. Can't let it bring us down! My life with you means everything, so I won't give up that easily, I'll blow it away, blow it away. Can we make this somethin' good? Cause it's all misunderstood. Well I'll try to do it right this time around! Let's start over. I'll try to do it right this time around! It's not over, 'cause a part of me is dead and in the ground! This love is killing me, but you're the only one, it's not over! _

Jack watched Thunder desperately, hoping one of the others would hear her radio and come out.

Nobody came to help, and Jack looked down at Thunder, lying sprawled limply in the snow like a bag of potatoes. She tried not to cry, to be strong, but her fears got the best of her and soon she was sobbing as she threw herself over Thunder's blood-soaked back.

_We can't let this get away! Let it out, let it out, don't get caught up in yourself. Let it out! Let's start over. I'll try to do it right this time around! It's not over, 'CAUSE A PART OF ME IS DEAD AND IN THE GROUND! This love is killing me, but you're the only one, it's not over! Let's start over! It's not over, oh, whoa, yeah, yeah! This love is killing me, but you're the only one, it's not over!_

"_Madre de dios!_"

She looked up and saw Ramone parked there in shock. His eyes widened as he saw Jack raise her hood up. She was covered in blood and shaking. Ramone drove back into his garage that he shared with Flo, who came flying out into the cold air. She wore the same astonished and shocked expression that Ramone had, and went over to Jack.

"What happened to you all? When the storm hit we looked for you for hours and couldn't find you. We finally had to give up because the storm got too bad." Flo told Jack, who said nothing but kept shaking as she lowered her hood into Thunder's blood-soaked fur again.

"Don't do that, man. You'll get even more bloody then ya already are."

"What does it matter?! He's probably dead anyways!" She screamed at him, and Ramone and Flo were shocked to see her sobbing. "He's probably dead! A-And after all we went through tonight, he would deserve it! B-Because he died like a hero! He fought the biggest mountain lion in the world, and he still managed to kill it! He just couldn't save himself, and he was so close! All he wanted to do was get home safely, and look at him! **LOOK AT HIM**!" Jack screamed at him, burying herself in Thunder's fur again and sobbing loudly, shaking from her sobs and the cold.

Ramone backed away, guiltily dropping his eyes to his hood.

Jack felt someone pulling her away from Thunder, and she clung to his fur tightly, still sobbing and crying freely. They pulled her free, and she squirmed out of their grasp, racing over to Thunder's still form and burying her hood into his fur again. Whoever had pulled her away the first time pulled her away again, more roughly this time.

"NO!" Jack exclaimed, trying to fight off whoever was holding her tightly.

"Listen to me!" Sarge shouted over her, shaking her.

She didn't stop, and Sarge squeezed her more tightly.

"Listen to me!" He shouted again, and she finally stopped struggling, hanging limply in his grasp, panting, sobbing and crying. "Sara came in crying and said that you guys were attacked. What happened?" He asked her gruffly.

She refused to answer, just closed her eyes. "Answer me!" Sarge shouted, shaking her again.

"Thunder's dead! We were attacked by a mountain lion and it killed him! He protected us from it and because of that, he's **DEAD! DEAD!**" Jack screamed at him through her tears, her voice hoarse as she shook with cold and her sobs. Sarge looked down at Thunder, and saw the amount of blood that had leaked from his side into the snow.

"How much is gone?" He asked Jack firmly, but she shook her hood, her eyes shut tightly.

"Too much." She whispered, then began sobbing again. He set her on his hood, and she let herself roll off it into the snow, then she drove back over to Thunder, sobbing and burying her hood in his fur again. Doc rolled up almost immediately, and he couldn't believe his eyes. Flo, Ramone, and Sarge were standing around Thunder, who was limply lying in the snow and covered with blood while Jack had her hood pressed into his fur.

"How long has he been like this?" Doc asked, looking around at the others.

"We're not sure, but I saw 'em first, and that was about five minutes ago." Ramone replied, not looking at Jack or Thunder. Doc lifted Thunder's limp body out of the snow, and carried it over to his clinic as fast as he could.

"I'll take you over to my place." Sarge replied gruffly.

Jack followed numbly, barely aware of what she was doing as she kept crying and sobbing. She was shaking so hard she could barely drive, and when they reached Sarge's she couldn't move any further. She collapsed into the snow and wouldn't move.

Sarge sighed and picked her up again. He carried her inside and set her by the heater, where Sara was already laying.

"Jack!" She said, slightly scared to see Jack sobbing, crying and covered with blood.

"I'll go get the others." Sarge told her quietly, and Sara nodded.

**Wow! How was that? If that isn't a wake-up, then I don't kow what is! :) Poor thunder... :( **

**Finally updating on the right day. XD**

**Going to see Despicable Me 2 later with my bf! YAY, so excited! :D :D :D **

**See you, Liz**


	21. Relief, Landscaping, and Too Many Drinks

He drove over to Lightning's cone, and found Mariana, Paul, and Harry parked out on the ramp, occasionally sobbing quietly. "Hey, you three are going to stay with me." Sarge called to them, and as one the three turned to look at them. They all wore expressions of dull, unmoveable misery.

'_They're dying from the inside out._' Sarge thought in shock. "Get anything you want to bring over, then we're heading over. All right?" The three nodded, then they went back inside to collect some of their things. They returned shortly, and the group headed over to Sarge's. Mariana had gotten her blanket, and all of them huddled under it except for Jack, who sat by the heater, saying nothing, and sobbing as she cried.

"Jack, please stop crying. He'll be fine." Mariana said gently, reaching a tire out to try and comfort Jack.

Jack swatted it away fiercely and turned to the wall, still sobbing.

"I'm serious, Jack. Doc knows what to do. He'll be as good as new."

"No, he won't. You don't get it, do you? He was lying there for a long time. That's what happens when somebody dies. I would think you would know that, considering the same thing happened to you." Jack replied hoarsely, and even with tears and blood covering her hood, she was looking at Mariana angrily, so that she looked insane.

"He might still be-"

"No, Mariana, no! He's not, all right?! It's my fault, he's dead, it's my fault that this happened." Jack said firmly, starting to yell even though her voice was weakening by the minute.

"Don't you yell at me! I'm your sister, and all I'm saying is-"

"No, you're not! I never had a sister because my parents are dead, like yours are! And don't go saying that you're my sister because we live together, and that Thunder's our dad, because he's not! He's a dog! A DOG! Can you understand that?!" Jack screamed, panting heavily, sobbing, and shaking with rage.

Mariana looked down at her hood and her eyes started filling up with tears. The others were all watching from under the blanket, shaking in fear.

"What's going on in here?" Sarge exclaimed, rolling into the room. He saw Jack glaring at Mariana, who wouldn't look at her. "Jack, he's safe."

"How can he be? He wasn't moving when you found us, remember?" Jack said, her voice now a mere whisper.

"Doc said that the snow saved him."

Mariana turned around to look at Sarge, her eyes still full of tears as she looked at him in disbelief.

"He also said that only one of you can see Thunder at a time." The others all looked around at one another, when Jack spoke up.

"You go." She looked at Mariana in an irritated way, then laid down by the heater again, falling asleep instantly.

"I think she's right. You've known him the longest." Sara spoke up, looking at Mariana kindly.

"If you guys are sure..." She said doubtfully, looking over at Jack worriedly.

"No, you go ahead."

Mariana smiled at Sara and the boys in thanks, then rolled out of the room, Sarge driving alongside her to the door to open it for her. She drove outside, then turned right to go to Doc's. She saw Thunder, lying on the lift limply, infinite wires and tubes hooked up to him. Suddenly, she couldn't look at him, and she had to get out. She darted out of the clinic quickly, and Doc didn't even notice she had seen Thunder. She arrived back over at Sarge's, and darted inside quickly.

"What's the matter?" He asked, looking at her worriedly. She just shook her hood and closed her eyes tightly, trying to unsee what she had seen. She drove into Sarge's living area and curled up under the blanket, falling asleep instantly, along with the others. She was startled awake by her nightmare with a sudden jerk. It had seemed even more horrible then the real thing.

She looked around at the others, and saw that it was two in the morning. She sighed, and crawled out of her spot under her blanket. She went over to the window she had climbed in to find Sarge, and climbed out that way. She jumped to the ground quietly and landed in the snow. She looked around again, making sure nobody had heard her. She crept through the snow over to Lightning's cone, and looked up at the window doubtfully. She might be able to get in, but how would she close it afterwards? She sighed, then drove around to the front of the cone.

She opened the door, then crept inside, quickly closing it. She rolled into the living room quietly, and then turned the television on quietly. She climbed onto the couch, pulled the blanket down from the top of the couch, then wrapped herself in it. She snapped the television off after about ten minutes, yawned, then drove back to Thunder's room, dragging the blanket along with her. She snuggled deep into Thunder's bed, then pulled the blanket all the way over herself and fell asleep.

She was so deeply asleep that she didn't hear Lightning's exclamation of surprise the next morning. She distantly felt something closing around her, but she rolled over in her sleep and the feeling was gone. It was like she was encased in a warm, fluffy cloud, and it was comforting. She imagined that she heard the voices of the others, as though they were coming from two different ends of Willy's Butte. Her eyelids cracked open, but all she could see was darkness. She smiled sleepily, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

Meanwhile, Lightning had found her lying alone in the bed, and used the blanket she was wrapped in to make a sack. He was holding the corners all bunched together at the top, and he had tied a rope around the bag just in case Mariana woke up or moved in her sleep, that way she wouldn't be blinded by bright sunlight. He set the bag on his hood, and the others all exchanged confused and slightly worried looks.

"Do we want to know what's in that pathetic excuse for a bag, man?" Ramone asked.

Lightning offered him a wry grin, which made Ramone even more confused.

In one swift move, Lightning reached up and pulled the rope tying the bag shut as hard as he could. It stayed in that position for a moment or two, then the top collapsed in on itself, revealing a small bit of metal and white paint. The others were all more confused. Lightning pulled back a bit more of the blanket, revealing more of the metal, and black lines to join the white space. The blanket moved as Mariana rolled over, and the others all gasped.

"Lightning, if you stole a kid, I'm going to-" Sally threatened, but stopped when Lightning held up a tire. Sally looked at him in confusion, and that's when it happened. Mariana slid off Lightning's hood when she rolled over again, and fell into a heap on the ground. The sudden fall woke her up, and she pushed the blanket off her slightly, so she could see out one side of her windshield.

"Hey? How'd I get out here?" The others laughed at Mariana, who had the blanket covering her entire right side. She looked so confused that the effect was increased.

"I'm not sure. You tell me. Hey, by the way, how did you get inside last night? I thought you were with Thunder, but I didn't see him. Or any of the others." Lightning asked. And though his tone wasn't angry, she knew she was in trouble.

"I fell asleep over at Sarge's, then I woke up at two in the morning because I had a bad dream. Then I found a way out of his Hut and opened the garage door to your cone and drove inside. I went to watch tv, but then I started to feel sleepy, so I went to Thunder's bed and fell asleep." She finished, snuggling back inside the blanket and pulling it over herself more. "Now do you mind? I was sleeping."

"I didn't wake you. You fell off and woke yourself." Lightning replied, and the others all laughed. She yawned for an answer and went back to sleep. "Jeez, how does Thunder keep you awake?" Lightning sighed, shaking his hood in bewilderment. Everyone else except Flo, Ramone, Sarge, and Doc chuckled. The four looked as grim and somber as if they had attended a funeral. Lightning looked over at Doc, confused, and just then realized that Thunder wasn't there.

"Where's Thunder?" He demanded loudly, looking around, confused. The others all looked around, mildly interested.

"Hey, Rookie, you should practice for your next race." Doc called, and Lightning sighed, an annoyed expression on his face. He rolled down to the track, Doc following. He explained what had happened the night before to Thunder and the others, and Lightning braked suddenly in the middle of the dirt road.

"Whaat?" Lightning asked in horror. "You're joking. Tell me you're joking."

Doc sighed and shook his hood for an answer. "I wish I could say that I am, but I can't."

Lightning looked down at the ground, deep in thought. Doc watched him for a few minutes, then said quietly, "They're all alive, if it makes you feel any better Hotshot."

"Not by much." Lightning replied quietly in a low voice.

He and Doc continued driving down to the Butte, and reached it in silence. They did a short race, and even then Doc could see Lightning's heart wasn't in it. When they had finished, Lightning rolled off the track, and parked where the others usually watched from, looking out at the dusty track, seeing it but not actually seeing it.

"You all right, Rookie?" Doc asked, rolling over cautiously.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You go on back, I'll meet you there." Lightning replied, and was relieved to hear that his voice wasn't shaking with rage, and sounded normal. He heard Doc driving away, and went over to a large bush. He began kicking it with a front tire as hard as he could, growling curses and empty threats through gritted teeth. When the bush was clear out of the ground, he moved onto another.

He kept kicking the bushes out of the ground until he heard the sound of an engine approaching. He looked up and was surprised to see it was dark out.

"Looks like you've been doing some landscaping, Rookie." Lightning turned around and saw Doc parked there, surveying the various bushes pulled up by their roots.

"Ha ha, very funny." Lightning rolled his eyes and then began kicking at the nearest bush again. Doc rolled over to his side, watching him with mild amusement for a few minutes.

He knew Lightning would start to speak, and he didn't have long to wait. "I could've saved them all."

"Yes, and you possibly would've gotten killed doing it. And if you didn't, then you'd be in no condition to race any longer." Doc replied with a sigh.

"Thunder's one of my best friends, and him and I could've fought it and won."

"Do you think that's possible? There was more then a foot of snow on the ground at the time, and you might've gotten stuck, thus, making yourself an easy target for the mountain lion. Thunder would've ended up finishing it off by himself, all the while protecting you from it." Doc said firmly, looking over at Lightning.

Lightning looked down at the bush that was almost uprooted and gave it a hard, swift kick, sending it toppling over into the dirt. He drove over to the next one and began kicking at it with progressively harder kicks.

"Have you ever thought that Thunder can take care of himself?"

The question made him freeze, his front tire lifted comically in the air for a moment, then he set it down and turned back to see Doc standing by the previous bush. He thought hard about Doc's question, and couldn't come up with a reasonable answer. He closed his eyes regretfully and shook his hood three times.

"Now he's got Mariana, and all the others, and I just feel like I should help him with stuff like that, an-"

"That's really the point then, isn't it? You _feel_ like you should help him, even though you don't have to, and are often somewhere too far away to help effectively."

Lightning sighed and looked down at his hood again. Doc was right.

Lightning turned away from Doc without answering and proceeded to kick the nearest thing he could, which was a tall saguaro cactus. He barely suppressed the string of curses that almost flew out of his mouth, and instead settled for a muffled bellow that sounded slightly like Frank, biting down on his bottom lip as hard as he could.

Doc chuckled, then said, "At least turn your headlights on, then you'll be able to see what you're trying to remove from the ground." With that, he chuckled again and began driving back up towards the town.

He paused only once, turning around to look at Lightning. "Come back up before morning. And please leave at least some of the bushes. I think you'll find that it's nice to have a few obstacles to slow you down during our next race." He drove away with that, laughing.

With an annoyed grunt, Lightning began kicking at the saguaro cactus again, exclaiming loudly in pain and cursing worse then a sailor every time he felt the spines impale his tire even more. He limped back to the town just as dawn was breaking, his tires full of cactus spines. He made it into his cone, and discovered that Mariana was snuggled under the blanket she had from yesterday, looking at the television blankly.

As he watched in horror, she slumped against the bottom of the couch, then slid on her side to the floor as her eyelids slid shut. He hobbled over to her as quickly as possible and attempted to wake her up. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she saw Lightning, who was looking worriedly at her.

She looked up at him dully with a glazed-over expression from fear and lack of sleep.

"Are you all right?" Lightning asked, even though he could tell she wasn't. She looked horrible, like she hadn't slept in weeks. Lightning reminded himself that it was probably out of fear for Thunder that she couldn't sleep and looked the way she did, which made him feel worse.

"Just peachy." She replied quietly, staring up at him eerily, seemingly not blinking. Lightning looked down at her with a mixture of sorrow and slight fear. "When did you get your paintjob a different color? Or was it pink before?"

"Pink?! I'd never get pink, disgusting!" Lightning exclaimed loudly, before he realized she had slid down off his hood again and was now limping over to sit back down in front of the couch. "What's the matter? Why are you limping?" He asked.

"I'm not really sure. You're limping pretty badly because of the cactus." Mariana drove back over to Lightning and began pulling the spines out swiftly, and was finished with one of his front tires before he could even realize what was going on.

She finished the others just as quickly, and was done within two minutes. She then returned to her position, and gazed at the television blankly. Lightning looked down at his now cactus-free tires. "Thanks." He offered her a smile, which was returned in a vague way.

Lightning looked at her worriedly, and then picked her up. He set her on his hood and took her over to Sally's, where Sally was busy sorting legal papers. "Sally, I need your help!" Lightning exclaimed, driving into the lobby and looking down frantically at Mariana.

"What's the matter, Lightning? What's wrong?" Sally asked worriedly, then she saw Mariana. "Did she change her paint color?" Lightning looked at her, then shook his hood 'no' slightly, so Mariana wouldn't fall.

"Sally, I think the real question here is 'Did Lightning go from red to pink?'"

Before Sally could make out the answer to such a ridiculous question, Lightning exclaimed, "For the last time, NO, I DIDN'T!"

"All right, just wondering, because you do look a little pinkish today."

"What's your problem, Lightning?"

"This!" He exclaimed, pointing at Mariana with a tire and looking down at her. "I went into my cone about five minutes ago to go to sleep, and I found her watching tv and lying on the floor in front of the couch. All of a sudden, she just passes out! When I wake her up, she's got _this_ look on her face!" He pointed with a tire at Mariana, who was wearing the same expression she had been before. "I asked her if she was okay, and she replied, 'Just peachy.'. When has she _ever_ said that?!" He finished, looking up at Sally with a slightly hysterical look on his face that wasn't helped by the frighteningly serene expression on Mariana's. Sally looked at the two of them carefully, then gently picked Mariana up off Lightning's hood.

"I think I've found the problem." Sally announced, shutting Mariana's hood after opening it to rummage through the objects hidden beneath it.

"You have?"

"What does this look like to you?" Sally asked, and handed him an empty can.

"It looks like... Ohh..." Lightning's astonished expression was all the confirmation Sally needed. Lightning sped out of the lobby and back to his cone. He returned shortly, holding an empty can and scowling. "She took my wine!" He exclaimed angrily, looking down at Mariana with distaste. "Of course, you just _had_ to take the good bottles, didn't you?"

"I thought it was soda... It tasted like soda." Mariana replied airily, looking at him serenely, which made him even more angry.

"How do we stop it?"

"There's nothing we can do. She drank all your good wine. I'm actually surprised she isn't dead, with all that she drank." Sally replied with a hint of fear, looking down at Mariana worriedly. Mariana had fallen asleep, leaning against Lightning's fender. She snapped awake almost instantly and looked up at the two of them.

"When's the party?" She asked curiously. Lightning and Sally shared a surprised glance, then Sally handed her to Lightning.

"You should probably go put her back in your cone before someone else sees her." She said quietly, and Mariana didn't help by abruptly hiccuping very loudly. Lightning shoved his wheel into his mouth to keep from laughing hysterically, then nodded to show that he agreed with Sally. He drove over to his cone as quickly as possible, then deposited her in Thunder's bed.

"I'm a puppy, ARF ARF!" She exclaimed drunkenly, swaying slightly. Lightning rolled his eyes. It seemed like the effects of the wine were just kicking in. She hiccuped loudly again, then laid down, almost toppling over onto her side.

"You are really drunk." Lightning muttered, tossing the blanket she had been using at her. It hit her in the side, and she grunted in surprise, looking around.

"Who punched me?" She exclaimed suddenly.

"Nobody punched you, I just tossed you your blanket. You're going to be here for a while." Lightning told her, sighing. She found the blanket, and attempted to put it on as a robe.

"No, here." Lightning laid it over her, and she curled up underneath it. He left after making sure she wasn't going to randomly say something, closing her door tightly.

**Oh boy... *sighs* Mariana the troublemaker... xD and at least Thunder's okay, right? :)**


	22. Drinks, Snakes, and A Friendly Race

He wasn't taking any more chances with his precious wine collection. He closed the remaining bottles up in a high cupboard, locked it, then drove out into the living room, looking around for a specific bottle. He found it, hidden under the couch along with Dinoco Light and various others. He gathered them up and hid them in the same cupboard, then went looking for more bottles. He had a sudden idea, and checked Mariana's hood. She was deeply asleep, and he pulled out no less then seven bottles of vodka, wine, and beer.

"Good lord..." He said in awe as he pulled out bottle after bottle. "Not even I could drink this much!" He decided to go back over to get Sally. He returned shortly with her following along behind, then took her to the cupboard, where he took out every empty bottle, then produced the ones he had retrieved from under Mariana's hood. She stood in the doorway, too surprised to say anything as she watched Lightning pile bottle after bottle. Finally, when he was done counting, he had reached about twenty nine bottles, a grand total. "How isn't she dead?" He asked Sally in shock. She remained frozen with shock, at a loss for words. All she could do was look at him with a shocked expression and shrug. He put the empty bottles back in the cupboard and sighed.

"Why isn't Thunder here with the others? Him and Mater would've never have let her do that."

Lightning didn't look at Sally as he replied, "I'd go ask either Ramone, Flo, Sarge, or Doc why Thunder's not here."

Sally had to drive closer to hear the rest of what he had to say because of how softly he said it.

"She knew that it wasn't soda, either. I told her not to touch them, and she asked why. I told her what those bottles were full of, and what would happen if she drank them all. Oh, god..."

"What? What's wrong?" Sally asked, hurriedly backing up as Lightning turned around, his expression full of panic.

"I told her that if she drank too many, two things would happen! Firstly, I'd get really mad at her, and secondly, she'd die! That's what she's trying to do!" Lightning exclaimed in a slightly fearful voice.

"She's trying to kill herself?!" Sally asked in horror.

"Yes, that's exactly what she's trying to do!" Lightning shouted at Sally, panicking. "We've got to do something!"

"I said earlier that there's nothing we can do! Besides, she's probably sleeping, and that'll at least keep her from showing the others that she's this drunk." Sally said. Lightning looked around for a way to fix Mariana, a plan, something to say, just _anything_ that would help them make sense of this. He came up with nothing, and sighed miserably.

"I guess if you really want to know the whole thing, you should go talk to Jack. She and the others were there, but Doc said he only saw her." Lightning said sadly, looking down at his hood.

"Go ask her what, exactly?"

"What happened to Thunder. I'd tell you all that I heard from Doc, but I just can't do it at the moment."

Sally nuzzled him gently, then replied, "Where is Jack? I haven't seen her for a while."

"Doc said that they were all over at Sarge's."

Sally offered him a sad smile, then departed. He stood there for a while, looking at the wine cabinet blankly, then opened it and rummaged through it. He pulled out one of the ones he had been saving, and he was glad that Mariana hadn't gotten to it. He opened it, looked at it for a while, then opened the bottle and guzzled the whole thing down. It was the best thing he had ever tasted, and he instantly became happier. He left to go back down to the Butte, thinking that he would be able to fly around the track with ease. He got down to the track, and saw all the bushes lying across the ground, and remembered the night before. He scowled and drove down to the track, hunting for more bushes. He found one and began kicking at it furiously, missing half the time because of the wine. It took him a minute to realize that someone had followed him down, and he froze, thinking that it was Sally.

"Morning, Rookie." He sighed quietly, then began kicking at the base of the bush again, trying not to miss.

"Morning, Doc."

Doc watched Lightning, bemused, then said, "I would've thought you were begging to see Thunder, what with the way you were yesterday."

Lightning turned around, facing Doc and replied, "What?" With a confused expression.

Doc sighed, then replied, "You don't remember anything from yesterday?"

"Not really, no."

"All right, just try to get more sleep. I'll see you back at Flo's, right?" Doc asked, giving Lightning a stern look.

"Sure, Doc. I'll be there."

"All right." Doc turned and drove back towards town, and Lightning resumed kicking his bush in anger. It was a few hours later when Lightning remembered that Doc wanted to see him at Flo's. He bolted towards the town, and he imagined that Thunder was loping alongside him, the two of them playfully racing. Then, there was a flash of light, and his imagination placed him in a graveyard. He looked around, and spotted the others.

"What's going on?" He asked Sally, who was standing beside him and sobbing quietly.

"He didn't make it." She said tearfully, leaning into his side and sobbing again. Lightning tried to see around the others, but couldn't. He comforted Sally until the others left, and Lightning escaped Sally by telling her that he would meet her back at her motel. When the graveyard was empty except for him, he drove over to the freshly finished grave. The temporary tombstone read: "Here lies our dear friend Thunder. He wasn't the brightest, but he knew how to cheer someone up." Lightning pulled himself back into the present in horror, and discovered that he was approaching the town. He tried to forget the horrifying things he had imagined, but he couldn't. He supposed that it was the wine, and wondered if it was expired. The situation settled, he sighed with relief and drove to Flo's, parking beside Sally. She greeted him with a snuggle and a hello, which he returned. He glanced over in Doc's direction, and noticed Doc watching him. Doc gave a firm nod, then continued talking to Sheriff. Lightning spotted Sarge coming out of his Surplus Hut with the children in tow, minus Mariana, and smiled.

"What's so funny, Stickers?"

"Sarge looks like a duck!" Lightning whispered, and Sally laughed.

"Better not let him hear you say that, remember how he didn't like you for a whole week after he found you and-" Sally stopped talking abruptly, then ordered a coffee from Flo.

'_She's heard then_.' Lightning thought to himself as he ordered a coffee from Flo also. He sat in silence when Flo brought him his coffee, and replied with a "Thanks" shortly before brooding again. Flo looked at him worriedly as she drove away, but said nothing. He stared down into his coffee drum with an almost annoyed expression, thinking hard about the 'visions' he had as he was driving back from the Butte.

Jack pulled him out of his thoughts by climbing up onto his hood and falling asleep abruptly. He looked down at her in surprise, then remembered that Thunder wasn't there for her to cuddle with. He guessed that she hadn't gotten any sleep for the past two nights, judging by how tired she was. He glanced over in Sally's direction, wondering what he should do, and she leaned against his side, watching Jack sleep. Lightning motioned to Sally to move aside, and he rolled backwards so Jack wouldn't be in the sun. Sally smiled, then leaned against his side again. Lightning drank his coffee, and secretly couldn't have been happier.

Sara stayed close to Sarge, at least until he told her to go play with one of the others. Then she drove over to Fillmore and laid down at his side. Sarge sighed, then looked over at the two boys. Paul was lying at Doc's side, looking at his hood gloomily, Harry showing the same expression as he laid at Sheriff's side.

"Why don't you two go down to the Butte to race?" Doc suggested.

Paul shook his hood sadly, then said, "No thanks, Doc. Maybe another time."

Harry nodded glumly in agreement, then returned to slumping to the pavement, his wheels splayed out at all angles, his front bumper hitting gently against it with a soft _clang_.

"Those poor little guys. They really miss Thunder." Flo said sadly, looking around at Sara, Jack, Paul, and Harry.

"They sure do, baby." Ramone replied sadly, looking warily over at Jack's sleeping form.

Lightning looked down at Jack, then gently lifted her off his hood and handed her to Sally. Sally took her, confused. Lightning drove over to Harry and scooped him onto his hood, doing the same with Sara. "Let's go you guys. We're going down to race." Paul knew better than to argue, so he rose reluctantly from his spot and followed Lightning to the Butte.

"I'd better go also, just to make sure he doesn't do somethin' he'll regret tomorrow." Doc sighed, following after the group. Lightning set the two down on the ground, then lined up at the starting/finishing line. The others followed suit reluctantly, and Lightning was surprised to see Doc joining them. "I figured I'd better watch to see who wins, just in case we have a tie."

Lightning offered him an expression that said, '_If that's the way you want it._' then started a countdown from three.

"Go!" The five shouted, and they all shot across the starting line, then settled into position. Paul and Harry were behind Doc and Lightning, while Sara was ahead of them. She had some trouble with the wall, so Lightning easily passed her. She exclaimed in surprise when he went whizzing by her, and nearly lost control. Paul shot up beside her to try to steady her, and he could tell that she wasn't liking this. She shifted into her next highest gear, and gained the lead back from Lightning. Harry hung back, saving his speed for the home stretch.

"Are we doing three laps?" He exclaimed over the sounds of their engines.

"Of course!" Lightning shouted back, then was surprised as Paul passed by him.

"Hi!" Paul exclaimed happily, giggling and smiling. Lightning grinned at him and winked, then made as if to pass him. "I don't think so!" Paul growled playfully, then pulled in front of Lightning, gaining the lead back. Sara was third, and not too happy about it. Doc and Harry were tied for fourth, and were battling it out. The group came down off the wall, and everyone jostled for position. In the scramble, Harry managed to get ahead of Doc. With a happy shout, he accelerated. Doc sped up, and tied with Harry again.

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed, pretending to pout, although he ruined the effect by giggling. Up ahead, the others were coming to the turn, and Lightning slid around it, slightly out of control. He made it, followed by Sara and Paul.

Paul shifted his wheels the wrong way by accident, and shot off in a random direction, squealing in surprise.

Harry shot after him, screaming, "Paul! Paul!"

Doc braked, then followed after. Paul slammed on his brakes, sending himself into a long spiraling skid through the dirt, kicking it up in a long red trail. He stopped at the edge of a cliff, then backed up quickly. He looked down into the canyon, and screamed.

There was a large rattlesnake, coiled up amongst slightly smaller ones looking up at him and hissing angrily, the rattles on its tail shaking.

"Paul! Are you okay?"

"SNAKE!" Paul screamed, then fled in the other direction. Harry looked into the canyon, saw the snakes, then fled after Paul.

Paul spotted Doc, and leapt onto his roof, shaking.

"What's the matter, Paul?"

"Snake!" Paul exclaimed, pointing a shaking tire towards the canyon.

"There's lots of those around here. What did it look like?"

"It was big, and scary, and it hissed at me when it shook its tail!"

"Rattler." Doc muttered, looking up at Paul, who had an expression on his face that made him look as though he had gotten a large electric shock. "Where's Harry?" Doc asked, and he didn't have long to wait.

Harry came barreling towards him, and leapt onto Doc's hood. "There was a ginormous snake back there!" He exclaimed, scrambling to get up onto Doc's roof.

"All right, calm down. It's not going to hurt you if you don't bother it. Neither one of you touched it, did you?"

"I didn't!"

"Me neither!"

"See? It's not going to hurt you."

Harry relaxed slightly, then looked up at Doc and asked, "_Could_ I go touch it?"

"No, you couldn't. Let's get back to the race. We can still see who comes in third." Doc replied, then the two scrambled towards the racetrack, Doc following them.

"Doc! What happened?"

"They saw a rattler and it scared 'em."

"It didn't get them, did it?"

"No, they were too scared to go near it."

**How's this chapter? I miss uploading... it seems like it takes forever for the weekend to get here... XD**


	23. Sara Tries Tractor-Tipping

Lightning smiled, then Paul rolled over, grinning. "I got third place! Yay!"

"And I got fourth! That means Doc got fifth!" Harry exclaimed, giggling.

"Why, you little-" Doc muttered, chasing Harry playfully, laughing. He caught him and pinned him to the ground. Harry giggled, then growled playfully.

He slipped out of Doc's grasp, giggling and playfully taunting Doc, exclaiming in a singsong voice, "You can't catch me, hahaha haha ha!"

"Wanna bet?" Doc grinned as Harry came within easy grabbing distance, then darting a few feet away.

"Yep!" Harry giggled, then continued with his taunting song. Lightning rolled up behind Harry and grabbed him. Harry was momentarily stunned, then looked up at Lightning, who was looking down at him.

"I got you." Lightning said, laughing.

"That didn't count. Doc has to catch me."

"All right." Doc replied, rolling over and taking Harry from Lightning. "I win." He declared, chuckling.

"You had help, so that didn't count either."

Doc and Lightning laughed, then Doc set Harry down. Harry blew a very wet raspberry, then sped back towards the town, giggling. "Go get Sara and Paul, then we'll go hunt him down." Doc chuckled, waiting for Lightning to get the other two. They met up with Doc, and the group headed back to town.

They found Harry over at Flo's, talking to Sally. He squeaked and hid behind her when Doc and the others rolled into Flo's.

"Where could Harry be?" Doc jokingly asked Sheriff, chuckling and winking.

Sheriff played along, replying, "I ain't sure. It's like he disappeared."

Harry snickered, hearing the conversation. The others all tried their best not to laugh, although Lightning, Sally, Ramone, and Mack were snickering.

"That's a shame. He sure would miss out on somethin' fun. Somethin' that he really likes a lot."

"_Car Wars 3_?" Harry exclaimed, popping up from behind Sally. The others turned to look at him, and as he looked around at them, He spotted Doc grinning. "Uh oh." He declared before he took off like a shot.

Doc drove after him, amid the others' laughter. He returned shortly, carrying a grumpy-looking Harry on his hood.

"You need practice climbing trees, Harry." Doc said finally, and the others laughed.

"Hmmph!" Harry replied, crossing his front tires grumpily.

Sara had crept over behind Red, unseen and sucked in a big breath. "BOO!" She exclaimed loudly, and Red jumped about three feet in the air as though he had gotten a nasty shock. Red turned around, and Sara snuggled against his tire. Red laughed silently, then picked her up.

She scrambled onto his roof, then assumed a triumphant stance. "I'm Queen of the World!" She exclaimed, making the others laugh.

Paul was watching the commotion, laying by Lizzie, seemingly not too concerned. Lizzie looked down at him and smiled, then asked, "What's the matter, Paulie?"

"It's just that they do this every day now that Thunder's not here." Seeing her confused expression, he added, "The giant brown dog."

"Oh, yes, it is rather sad that he's not here, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I miss him a lot. He made everything that was boring seem like the most fun game in the world."

Lizzie nodded understandingly, looking distantly at the others, as though her mind was far away. "Yes, Stanley was the same way. He would have loved to have met you three little ones."

"You think so?" Paul asked, looking up at her hopefully.

"Yes, Paulie. I do. I really do." Lizzie replied, smiling down at him again. Paul smiled back and snuggled against Lizzie's wheel gently. He knew that she was more fragile then him, and he didn't want to hurt her. She smiled and asked him if he wanted to go visit Stanley with her. He nodded and replied, "You bet!" The two set off towards the statue, discussing what Stanley would've thought about the others, and other things.

The two grew silent when they reached the statue, until Lizzie said softly, "If only you could see the town now, Stanley. It's much bigger then it was when we were together." She smiled up at the statue with a fond expression that held a slight bit of sadness.

Paul smiled up at the statue. He thought that he would've liked Stanley. "Do you think that if Thunder doesn't make it, that they'll put up a statue of him too?"

"They might, Paulie. They just might." Lizzie replied softly, looking down at him.

He smiled, but then it vanished. "I want Thunder to get better. He will, won't he?" He asked, looking up at Lizzie with a mixture of hope and worry.

"He's been in worse fights then this one, Paulie. Why, I heard the racecar telling the others that he was hit by a truck before this! Can you believe that? A truck like Big Al over there." Lizzie exclaimed, pointing with a wheel over at Mack.

"Wow, really?" Paul asked, looking up at Lizzie with amazement.

"Yes, dear, really." Lizzie smiled.

"Then there was the time when he fought off a giant monster! It surely would've killed him if that Sergeant hadn't killed it with a gun."

"What kind of monster, Lizzie?"

"A great, big, bear! Can you imagine that Paulie? A giant bear as big as Red!" She pointed at Red with a tire, and Paul's eyes widened.

The others had noticed their absence, and found the two parked by the statue, talking. "There you two are! We were worried that you two got lost." Sally laughed, and Paul giggled. Sally, Lizzie, and Paul rolled back over to Flo's, where Harry had resumed his almost-depressed state, sprawled on the ground at Sheriff's right side, his front bumper resting on the ground, his eyes cast down to his hood glumly.

Paul copied his brother, lying beside Doc. "Come on you two. Don't be so sad. He's gettin' better." Doc said, looking down at Paul.

"Really?" Harry asked, lifting his bumper off the ground and looking at Doc, his grass-colored eyes hopeful. Doc nodded, and Harry smiled halfheartedly. "But he won't be completely better for a long time, right?"

"I'm afraid so." Paul and Harry sighed in unison and dropped their bumpers to the ground in a way that showed they had given up caring.

Sara went over to Sarge and nudged his tire with her hood gently. "Is Thunder ever going to wake up?"

"Sure he will. He just needs time to get better." Sarge replied reluctantly.

Sara nodded sadly, and drove over to Lightning. "Can we go tractor-tipping?"

Lightning looked down at her curiously. "I haven't gone in a while, and why would you ask today?"

"I just thought of it."

"Sure we can."

"Okay, Then I'm gonna sneak out of Sarge's tonight."

"He'll get mad..."

"Not if he doesn't know I'm gone." She winked, and Lightning looked confused.

"How are you going to get out without him noticing?"

"Mariana did it a few nights ago pretty easily, so I figure that if I can find out where she got out at, I'll meet you down by the-" She hesitated, then sighed sadly. "The salvage yard." She replied, and Lightning nodded halfheartedly.

"See you then."

"When should we meet up?"

"Midnight, all right? So try to figure a way out before then." Lightning smiled deviously, and Sara snickered. They returned to what they had been doing, and Sarge looked over at Lightning suspiciously. Lightning smiled innocently, and Sarge gave him a stern glance before turning to Fillmore and complaining about how his yard looked horrible. Lightning sighed with relief, and returned to his coffee.

At five to midnight, Sara climbed out the window she had found open, then drove off towards Thunder's old home. She parked under the sign and waited, shivering in the cold night air. She kept her headlights off, like Lightning had instructed as they had driven alongside each other to return to their homes. She gave her engine a quiet rev to try to keep warm, and the blower sticking out of her hood amplified it, sending it crashing against the cliffs of Tailfin Pass.

"Keep it down. Do you want to wake the whole town?"

She gasped in surprise and leaped backwards about a foot as she heard Lightning's voice from directly in front of her. The sound of her engine had drowned out the sound of his approach.

"Don't scare me like that, Lighty!" She hissed, trying to get her RPM's to drop.

"Sorry, Squirt. Ready to go?"

"Sure, I can't wait." She replied, and felt her way through the darkness until she got to his bumper. "Am I getting a ride?"

"If you want." He replied, softer this time. He felt her scramble onto his hood, and felt her lie down. He began driving towards Frank's fields when he was sure that she wasn't going to fall.

They reached the field of sleeping tractors in about forty-five minutes, and Lightning went over the instructions with Sara. Then, he rolled into the field, Sara following closely. He braked suddenly, and Sara bumped into him. "What gives?" She asked in an annoyed tone as she looked around him.

"Back up."

She sighed, but did as she was told. Lightning drove forward slightly and sounded his horn. The sudden blast startled Sara and the tractor, and Sara watched as a large tractor tipped over onto its back. There was a gurgling noise, then it released a loud fart from its exhaust pipe.

Lightning and Sara laughed, and Sara drove over to a slightly smaller one. She looked up at it, and honked her horn. The tractor's eyes flew open, and it mooed loudly before toppling over and farting. Sara giggled, and Lightning laughed. After a few minutes, they went to separate parts of the field to tip as many tractors as they could.

Suddenly, a loud rumble and squeal of surprise alerted Lightning to something going on over in the far corner of the field, near the orchard. Sara barreled by him, screaming in fear. The rumble grew louder, and Lightning looked up at the tops of the trees, which were shaking. Lightning bolted after Sara, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Sara! Sara, where are you?" Lightning called, then the tractors that were upright began moving, while the others that had been tipped were getting up and joining the herd. He heard a loud squeal from somewhere nearby, and fought his way through the herd, until he reached a small, shaking mass of orange. "Sara, come on! We've got to get out of here! They're stampeding!"

Sara continued shaking like a leaf, refusing to move. Lightning, panicking, picked her up and set her on his hood. He high-tailed it out of the herd, and they were soon standing outside of the stampede-but on the wrong end of the field! Lightning could hear Frank looking for them, and he could see the lights from the giant combine.

"Now what do we do?!" Sara exclaimed quietly.

"Shhh. Drive along the fence until you get to the broken section. I'll be right behind you, at least until Frank sees me. That's when I'm going to tell you to keep driving, as fast as you can, for the broken section, where the tractors escaped. If you can find the herd, good. Follow them, and they'll take you home." Lightning made the plan quickly, then pushed her towards the fence.

She began driving, and Lightning followed her. Lightning was right, Frank spotted them just when they hit a corner. He bellowed angrily, charging for them, and Lightning shoved Sara towards the exit, while he took off towards Frank. He flew by Frank, who stopped, looked for Sara, who wasn't there, then turned and began chasing Lightning. Sara had made it to the fence section that was down, and she dove through it, speeding like she had never done before. She didn't slow down until she found the herd, and only then just slightly. She made it back to the town, then drove over to Sarge's. He was still sleeping when she got there, and she was glad. If Sarge heard about what happened tonight, she'd be grounded. She snuggled under Mariana's blanket, shaking slightly from the excitement of the evening.

Suddenly, a tractor mooed loudly, and it sounded like it was right outside. Sarge bolted up, and muttered darkly to himself about the brutes eating his grass before rolling past the small group of children. Sara hastily shut her eyes, and tried to look like she was sleeping. Sarge didn't notice as he opened the garage door and drove outside. Sara could hear the distant sounds of the others calling out to each other, asking why there were tractors all over the place. She squirmed deeper under the blanket, until just the very edge of her hood was showing.

'_Oh, Lightning, please don't come back or else you'll be in trouble!_' Sara thought anxiously. The others rounded the tractors up and herded them back towards the field. Sara heard them as they drove by, and the noise woke up the others.

"What's going on?" Jack asked sleepily.

"The tractors stampeded, I think." Sara replied, trying not to show that she had been awake.

"Why? They almost never do that." Paul asked, yawning.

"Maybe they saw a snake." Harry snickered, nudging Paul with a tire. Paul snuggled down underneath the blanket and remained quiet after he heard Harry. Sara drove over to the door, waiting for the others to return.

"Sara?"

She turned and saw her brothers. "What's wrong?"

"Do you remember mom?"

"No, I don't. Why?"

"We can't either."

"Maybe we could ask somebody about it, they might know."

"I'll ask Sarge about it when he gets back." She said quietly.

"You guys better get back to sleep."

Instead of replying, they plopped down at her side. "Come on, Sarge'll see us better if we're outside." Sara said suddenly, then drove out into the grass. Her brothers followed. Sara looked up into the sky and found it littered with stars. "There's so many of them." She said softly in wonder. "Do you guys remember our dad?"

"Mater's our dad, and Sarge is yours."

Sara shook her hood. "No, they're not. I don't look like Sarge, and you guys don't look like Mater. There's no way that you guys could be trucks too because I was adopted by Sarge from Mater. If we were all Mater's kids, then we'd be trucks, like he is."

"Good point." Paul replied, looking up into the sky also. "Then I guess we need to find out where he is."

"First of all, _who_ he is." Sara replied. "There's only one car that I think can answer that, maybe two, but they're both living at Doc's." Sara sighed quietly. "I just wish that we knew what happened to our parents. Our real ones."

"Us too." The boys replied in harmony.

Sarge came back around four in the morning, and found the three outside, huddled together, shaking, and sleeping in the grass. He picked them up and set them onto his hood, then drove into his Surplus Hut. He gently set them back down under the blanket, by the heater so they would warm up. He awoke after an hour's sleep, feeling more grumpy then usual. He went outside to raise the flag after he turned on his record player, and heard Fillmore turn on the horrible noise that he called music.

**Awww, the poor triplets. They miss their buddy. :( **

**I just love the part where Harry and Doc start fooling around, and yes, the '"Where could Harry be?" Doc jokingly asked Sheriff, chuckling and winking. Sheriff played along, replying, "I ain't sure. It's like he disappeared." Harry snickered, hearing the conversation.' bit there is from Monsters. Inc. That movie is one of my favorites. XD **

**I felt like Lizzie didn't have any major roles in the movies, so I decided to give her one. What do you guys think? Did I get her character right?**

**And Sara finally goes tractor-tipping! It doesn't look like she had too much fun from this angle, does it?**

**And the triplets realize that Sarge and Mater aren't their real dads... what could this mean?**


	24. The Hunt Begins

Sarge shouted over his fence that separated the two yards at Fillmore, telling him, "Turn off that racket! It's murderous!"

"It's not 'murderous', it's Jimi Hendrix, man!"

"I don't care if it's an alien from another planet! Turn it off, or else I'll turn it off for you! I might even shove it up your tailpipe!"

Sara, Harry, and Paul woke up, along with Jack, and went to see why the two were shouting at each other.

"Not this again." Sara groaned, seeing the two shouting across the fence. "Sarge!"

Sarge turned around to look at the group.

They were all yawning and blinking sleepily, except for Sara, who looked slightly irritated. "Sorry." He replied, and they could tell he meant it. He then turned around and began arguing with Fillmore for blaring his music while the group was sleeping.

Fillmore pointed out that Sarge's was blaring too, and that shut Sarge up. He merely growled at Fillmore before driving back inside to shut his record player off. Fillmore shut his off as well, and Sarge took the others back inside, so they could sleep.

"Sarge?"

Sarge looked up from where he had been inventorying his surplus and saw Sara. "What's the matter?" He asked, rolling over to her and picking her up, then setting her on his hood.

She laid down, then looked up at him. "Who was our mom?"

Sarge looked down at her, confused. "Your mother? I'm not exactly sure. Mater never said. Why?"

"We were just thinking about it last night. And do you know who our dad is?"

Sarge didn't want to tell her, but seeing the pleading look in her eyes, knew that he had no choice. He sighed, and replied, "Yes, I do."

"Who was he?"

"I don't know his name, all I know was that he drove around with a gang. Horrible, mean cars. They liked to scare the life out of cars for fun, and Sheriff caught them for speeding about a year back. After their community service was up, we never saw anything that looked remotely like him. That is, until you three showed up."

"Which one of us looks most like him?"

"Your brother Harry does. There was one thing I remember about your father. He sneezed almost constantly, and the others in his gang didn't seem to like it too much."

"Do you know where I could find him?"

"No, I don't."

She looked down at her hood, and Sarge's expression softened.

"I'm sorry, Sara. If I knew, I would have told you. That way, you three might've gone to visit him. But of course, he might not know who you three are, so if you do find him, expect him to behave strangely." His expression hardened again, and he seemed to be thinking about something. He looked out the window nearest him, from which he could see the stretch of road leading to the Interstate, thinking about the gang.

When he pulled out of his thoughts, Sara was asleep, sprawled out across his hood with her wheels in all directions. Sarge smiled fondly, and went about his work, more quietly this time because of Sara. Since she technically didn't have a parental figure, he was determined to become the best parent he could for her. He knew that he already loved her, not in a true relationship sort of way, but in a fatherly way.

He finished up inventorying three hours later, and Sara cracked her eyes open. She yawned widely as she tried to stand up, falling back to Sarge's hood.

"Oh." She said softly around another yawn, and Sarge chuckled. She looked up at him, then giggled and snuggled against his windshield in an affectionate way. He laughed, then gently slid her down off his hood. "Aww, come on, Sarge." She said, yawning at the exact same moment, so the effect was one loud mumble varying in pitch.

"What was that, Sleepy?" He chuckled, looking down at her, amused.

"I said, Aww, come on Sarge, please?"

Everything after her first two words was mumbled by another giant yawn, and the two laughed.

"I said-" She stopped midsentence and waited for another yawn. When she got none, she repeated her plea.

"You just spent three hours on my hood. Aren't you stiff at all? He asked, and she stretched.

"Nope."

Sarge rolled his eyes, then placed her on his hood again.

'_She hasn't asked for a cookie in a long time._' He thought to himself, looking down at her.

"Sarge, can we go outside?"

"Sure." He smiled, then drove outside.

Sara hopped down from his hood, using it like a springboard. She did a somersault through the air, then landed on her tires in the grass. "Ta-da!" She exclaimed, giggling.

Sarge chuckled, then laid down. "You're getting more bold every day." He smiled at her, watching as she set her front tires gently on his hood.

"Sarge?"

"Yes?"

"Tell me the first time we met, please?"

Sarge sighed, and looked down at her. He smiled, then replied, "All right. But it's a long story."

She scrambled onto his hood and laid down, looking up at him eagerly.

"It was almost about a year ago now, and Thunder had just come over to Flo's with Mariana. But, he had three little orange cars with him. One was you-" He tickled her with a tire, "And one was Harry, and the last one was Paul. Everybody thought they were adorable, and were the cutest things they had ever seen. I didn't like babies, since I had heard that all they did was cry and drool and babble like monkeys. These three were different. They were very amusing to watch, and one of them didn't seem to like me. I think she could tell right away that I was going to be hard to wear down."

At this point, he looked down at Sara and smiled. "She seemed to like Fillmore the best, and of course he had to park next to me every day, so she would growl, and hiss, and carry on like an angry kitten or puppy every time she saw me. Then, one day, Fillmore had set her down so he could take a drink. I started to drive off, and the little girl car drove under me from behind. She spun around, growled at me, then drove back under me again. Now, I didn't like that, and I couldn't think of anything to call her, since she was just a baby, so I drove away to my home, and sulked there for a while."

"What does 'sulked' mean?"

"It's what somebody does when they want something really badly, but they can't have it, so they stay by themselves, away from other people, until they get what they want."

"Oh, okay." Sara nodded her hood, and Sarge continued with his story, telling her the way they had met.

When story time was over, Sara thanked him, then got down off his hood.

The others came out shortly, blinking and yawning.

"Morning." Harry and Paul greeted Sarge before they both yawned widely.

"Morning, boys."

"What are we gonna do today, Sarge?"

"You three could go ask Doc about your father. I'm sure he would know who he is."

Paul and Harry looked at Sarge in annoyed wonder, then they both looked at Sara, who smiled sheepishly from Sarge's hood.

"I couldn't resist!"

"Sara, you promised you wouldn't tell!"

"No I didn't."

"That was me, Harry." Paul replied, nudging Harry in the side.

"All right, all right. Calm down, Harry. She didn't know that you didn't want anyone to know about this, and she was trying to help."

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Sarge held up a tire. "Hear me out, okay?"

Harry nodded, then snapped his mouth shut. He knew better then to get on Sarge's nerves.

"She seemed really worried about it, and it happened this morning, so it's over with. What passed is in the past. If you three don't want me to tell, then I won't. I want you guys to find your father, so you know who he is. That way, you don't have to live here your whole life, not knowing who your father is, or your mother, for that matter. I want you three to succeed." He offered Harry a smile in return, and Harry looked up at him in wonder.

He scrambled onto Sarge's hood and rubbed his fender against Sarge's hood affectionately. "Thanks, Sarge."

Sarge smiled down at him, then Paul climbed onto Sarge's hood also and splayed his tires out, hugging Sarge's hood.

"You three want to get over to Flo's?" He winked, and they giggled.

"Sure!" Came three exclamations, paired with identical grins. He got up from the grass, then began driving over to Flo's, looking down at the three little cars on his hood. If they got any bigger, they'd be about the same size as Mariana or Jack.

The three spotted Doc, then hopped off Sarge's hood, one right after another, like a row of frogs hopping from one log to the next. Sarge rolled into Flo's and watched as Sara, Paul, and Harry drove with Doc to his clinic.

They returned about twenty minutes later, and Sara drove over to Sarge.

"We were able to find him." She said, and Sarge couldn't help noticing that there was a note of reluctance in her voice.

"What's wrong? I thought you would be happy about it."

"Yeah, I am. But we also found out where our mom is."

"Where is she?"

Sara pointed up into Tailfin Pass.

**And so the search for their real parents begins! I'm not gonna be at home from the 17th to the 20th, since I'm going to D.C with my bf! :) I'll try to get the chapter up before I leave, but I'm not sure... maybe I'll post everything the friday before... **


	25. Tragedy In the Cliffs

**Two things very quickly: I think I'll upload on Wendsdays and Saturdays to speed things along, and if Cars/Cars2 had bloopers, what do you guys think would be in them? I'm curious to know! :) Now, on to the show!**

* * *

"Did you want to go find her? I'll come with you if you want."

Sara nodded, and her brothers rolled up to Sarge.

"What do you three say to a drive up to Wheel Well?"

"Sure!"

"Sounds like fun!" The four drove off towards the firehouse and rounded the corner as the others watched. As soon as they had rounded the corner, Sarge picked Sara up so she could see better.

"Where to, Sara?"

"Straight up to Wheel Well." She replied, and Sarge looked surprised.

"All right, if you're sure. Hop on, boys." The two climbed onto Sarge's hood, and he drove up to Wheel Well. Once they reached it, he looked to Sara.

"She should be right around here. Could we look, Sarge?"

"Just be careful, you three."

They got down from Sarge's hood, and began searching.

"Hey, what's this?" Harry's voice came out of some bushes that led to a hidden area surrounded on three sides by steep rock walls.

The others hastened to his side, and then they saw something in the dirt closer to the rear wall. It was completely rusted over, and was bent inwards in multiple areas. It looked as though it had been part of something at one time or another, and Sarge looked closer.

"It looks like a door, or a bumper." He said, looking around at the three, who were hiding behind his front tires.

"Not that, _that_." Harry replied firmly, pointing with a tire to something large, rusted, and deformed. It was mainly orange in the spots where it wasn't rusty, and Sarge saw a spot of black underneath the object. He peered closer, and saw that it was a tire.

"I think you've found her, Harry." Sarge said quietly, and the three looked horrified.

"That can't be her. It just can't be! Doc said that she was alive." Sara exclaimed.

"Maybe nobody knew that she died, so everybody thought she was still alive." Harry said, looking from Sara, to Sarge, to the rusty body of their mother.

"Harry's got a point, Sara. Maybe nobody knew that she died. I mean, we didn't know it, and here we are."

Sara sighed, and drove closer to the rusted car. "But I don't see a blower, or bigger tires in the back, or little ones in the front. She looks nothing like us."

"Those were all your father's traits. And there is one thing you four have in common."

"What?" The three chorused.

"Your paint color. Notice how your mother's is the same color as yours?"

The three all looked at their mother, who was orange, then down at their hoods, which were orange.

"Now all we've got to do is find the guy who said that he's our dad." Sara said darkly, turning away from the group.

"Sara, don't say that. He is your father, otherwise, you three wouldn't look like him at all. And he and your mother were the same type of car, so you three are almost purebred. The only thing he had that your mother didn't was all those modifications." Sarge said gently, reaching a tire out to comfort her.

She turned around, and her expression was downcast. She drove over to Sarge, sniffling as she hid her grille in his wheel, her eyes shut tight.

"Hey. Remember what I said."

Sara looked up at him, confused, her eyes filling up with tears.

"No crying." He said gently, lifting her bumper up with a tire. "I think it's best that we leave, don't you two?" He asked the boys, who nodded silently.

They had never seen their sister cry before, and they were scared by it. They drove over to Sarge, who picked Sara up and set her on his hood gently, where she curled up into a little ball of dejected sadness.

When they got back to town, Sarge noticed something instantly, but waited to see if the three would. He parked in his regular spot, trying hard not to give away the surprise. None of the three noticed Thunder's return, not even when Jack looked over their way from where she was petting his back.

The others were trying not to laugh when Paul went over to Doc and asked, "Is Thunder any better yet? We miss him."

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Doc asked, trying not to laugh.

Thunder sat down silently behind Paul, and wagged his tail.

Paul looked confused, then asked Doc where Thunder was.

Thunder barked loudly, and Paul jumped a foot in the air in surprise. The others all laughed aloud, then Paul flipped around. He found himself hood to muzzle with Thunder, and squealed with joy.

"Thunder!" He shouted, hugging Thunder tightly. Harry raced over, and hugged Thunder also, shouting, "Thunder! You're okay!"

Sara raised her hood up from where she had been crying quietly on Sarge's hood, curled up into a little ball, and saw her friend being hugged and petted by her brothers. She almost flew off Sarge's hood in one gigantic leap that sent her towards Thunder.

He stood up quickly, catching her in his mouth. "Hi, Thunder! We missed you so much!" Sara exclaimed when Thunder set her down. She promptly scrambled onto his back and hugged him tightly, giggling happily. He barked happily, then romped around the little group, barking and wagging his tail. He stuck his tongue out and gave Paul a gigantic, slobbery cleaning.

"Thunder, stop!" Paul exclaimed, giggling wildly. The three went down to the Butte and raced each other around the track for a few hours, then returned, Thunder playfully nipping their back tires.

Sara turned around and swatted at his muzzle playfully, and he licked it as she swiped it in front of him. "Eww, doggy drool!" She giggled, then wiped her tire through the dirt. The group stayed in Sally's motel for a while, playing tag and chase. Thunder pretended to ignore them as they tauntingly swerved in and out of his reach, then he would bolt after one of them, barking.

Once he had chased them down, he'd tickle them mercilessly. Finally, he leapt onto Lightning's roof and barked triumphantly, his tail beating out a rhythm on Lightning's trunk. The others laughed, and Thunder slid down Lightning's windshield, laying down on his hood.

The four children scrambled onto Lightning's hood, then laid down next to Thunder.

"Looks like they're worn out." Sally laughed as the group fell asleep.

Lightning snickered quietly, then drove back over to his cone. He put Thunder back into his bed, next to Mariana. He set Jack, Harry, and Paul next to him, and took Sara back over to Flo's to give her to Sarge. Sarge took her gently and set her onto his hood, making sure she stayed asleep before continuing to argue with Fillmore about his taste in music.

Mariana woke up late at night with a moan, and stretched. She didn't stretch out very far before she felt an ache spread over her body, and she curled up, trying to get the aching to stop. She opened her eyes, and yawned widely. She figured that she was dreaming because Thunder was by her side, along with the others, except for Sara. She shook her hood to clear the sleepiness from it, and moaned softly in pain. She got up unsteadily, and limpingly drove down the hallway to Lightning's room.

Lightning was fast asleep, his front bumper mashed into his pillow, his front end tilted slightly to one side.

"Lightning?" She whispered. She got no reply, so she drove over to him quietly. "Lightning?" She asked quietly, poking him gently in the side. He bolted upwards with a garbled exclamation, his hood whipping back and forth as he looked around quickly for the car that had scared him. He spotted Mariana, and sighed with relief, panting slightly.

"What's wrong, Mariana?" He asked, reaching out a tire for her to climb onto. She reached for it, but instead drew back from the aching pain in her axles. Lightning realized what was wrong, and repressed the urge to say, "I told you so." Instead, he got down from the bed and drove out into the hallway, yawning slightly.

On the way, he scooped up Mariana, and set her on his hood. She curled up, and Lightning looked down at her with slight pity, before he rummaged around in a high cabinet that Mariana couldn't reach.

"Here. Just don't say anything to Sally, because then she'll flip out on me." He handed her two small, round pills, and then drove into the kitchen.

He poured her a glass of oil, and watched as she swallowed the pills. "Any better?"

She nodded, yawned, then curled up and fell asleep on his hood. He smiled, then drove back to his room, drove onto his mattress, and found a comfortable position. He was asleep in minutes, his front bumper mashed into the pillow again, Mariana curled up on his hood, his wheels splayed out.

He awoke the next morning to find Mariana stretching and moaning softly.

"Good morning, Mariana." He smiled at her, and she offered him a swift grin in return before stretching out her shocks as far as she could. She lowered herself back to the floor, and sighed contentedly, lying on the floor, her front bumper almost touching it.

"Comfortable?" Lightning snickered.

"Yeah." Mariana replied softly, rolling over onto her back. She attempted to scratch her roof like a dog, but instead ended spinning herself in circles.

"Here, let me help." Lightning grinned wickedly, then pushed her across the carpet. She slid easily, spinning lazily in circles.

"Hey! That was kind of fun." She giggled, and pushed herself off the closest wall she could reach, rocketing towards Lightning. He angled his wheel, and she went flying into the air. Lightning caught her as she fell out of the air, then set her on his hood. "Good catch." She giggled, and Lightning laughed.

Thunder trotted into the room, followed by Harry, Paul, and Jack.

"Morning, you four." Lightning greeted them, and Thunder wagged his tail. He spotted Mariana, then plucked her off Lightning's hood. She gasped as she realized that Thunder wasn't a dream, then squealed happily.

"Thunder!" She exclaimed, giggling as he barked.

They went outside, and Mariana slid down the ramp. She landed in a heap on the icy surface of Sally's motel. "D'oh!" She exclaimed as she almost hit a planter.

"Hey, come back!" Lightning exclaimed as she began sliding uncontrollably towards the road, as Lightning and Thunder had stopped at the top of the ramp.

"I can't!" She seemed to be running in place for a moment, then she landed on the ice with her undercarriage. "That's cold!" She squealed, her tires slipping rapidly as she tried to get up.

Doc rolled over to her, and helped her up, chuckling as she slipped and nearly fell, her tires slipping in all directions. She looked up at him pleadingly, her axles stretched out as far as they could go, her wheels holding onto the ground by just a little bit of rubber.

Lightning slid over to them, slightly wobbly, and attempted to help. Instead, he managed to send Mariana back down to the ice, and sliding across the road. She screamed, then quickly stopped when Flo opened the garage door to the Café and caught her.

"Good morning, sweetie." Flo smiled, then she noticed that Mariana was shaking. "Here, I'll wrap you in a scarf, sweetie." Flo wrapped Mariana up, then gave her a hot drink.

Mariana thanked Flo before going back outside. Now, she could see the piles of snow, and how icy the area was. "Yay! Let's go sledding at the Butte!" She begged Thunder, who had made his way over without any trouble. He barked happily, then scooped her up and trotted away with her, towards Willy's Butte.

Thunder produced an old, rickety toboggan from a bush, and grabbed the rope in his jaws. Mariana giggled and climbed onto it, and away they went. Thunder pulled the sled until it had plenty of speed going, then he hopped onto it, and they flew down the hills. Once they reached the track, they slowly came to a halt, and Mariana asked if Thunder could do it again. She passed him a pad and a pen when she saw him looking around.

'_If you'd really like to have some fun... come with me back to town. I've got a surprise for you._'

"What is it?"

'_If I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise, right?_' He wrote, then looked at her with a doggy grin before he picked her up again.

"Yeah, I guess so." Mariana replied contentedly, then began sipping her hot drink.

They arrived back in town shortly, then Thunder trotted over to his scrap yard. He set Mariana down in an ice-free spot, then wrote for her to shut her eyes. She did, then Thunder raced to the very back of the yard. He moved a large piece of corrugated tin aside, then pushed another piece, being careful not to cut himself.

When the two pieces fell, Mariana opened her eyes, startled.

**AAAND... CLIFFHANGER! Sorry, I had to! And as for the peculiar question above, the reasoning behind it is top secret, and I will in no way tell you what it is about, other then i hope you will all enjoy what comes of it... O_O I've said too much... *backspacebackspacebackspace***


	26. Fun In the snow, Part 2

There, in front of her, was a sleigh, the brightest color of red with gold accents, a bright green velvet seat, and a harness that would fit Thunder attached to it.

"Wow." She replied, getting closer to the sleigh. The runners were perfect, not bent or deformed in any way. She hopped up into the sleigh, and settled down on the seat. It was warm despite the cold wind, and softer then Thunder's fur. It was a wide sleigh, and Mariana, having never seen one before, guessed that they all were wide.

"Can we have a ride?"

"That's why I made it." Mater gave her a grin, and Mariana looked at him in wonder. "Not everythin' I make is awful." He laughed, and Mariana shook her hood before going over to him and hugging him.

"Nothing that you make is awful." He patted her roof, then lifted her up into the seat. Thunder wiggled himself into the harness, but got one of his front paws stuck.

"Whoops."

"What do you mean, 'Whoops'?"

"Thunder done got one of his paws stuck." Mater replied sheepishly.

"Let me help." Mariana giggled, then fixed Thunder's paw. "There." She scrambled back up onto the seat, and once she was ready,

Thunder took off, out of the yard and down the street, Mater driving along behind them.

"Where did you get that sled, Mater?" Lightning asked as he flew by him. Mater just laughed, and Mariana hung on as Thunder trotted faster towards Tailfin Pass. The three of them veered off to the right, heading for the waterfall. They passed by it as they turned around. Mater wasn't taking any chances of Mariana getting hurt, and was glad that Thunder kept up a fast but safe pace.

They pulled back into town, and stopped at Flo's. The others all laughed.

"First a car, and now a sleigh? Thunder, you goofball." Flo laughed. He just barked and wagged his tail.

Jack, Harry, Sara, and Paul drove over to the sleigh, looking at it curiously. Mariana popped up from inside it, and the four knew it was safe. They climbed aboard, and Thunder took off down the street, Mater following, as the others laughed.

They passed by the pond, and the billboard, and as they rode, Sara confessed that she'd like to try to find Snot Rod. The others looked at her in shock, and she nodded firmly.

"But what if he doesn't accept you as his daughter?" Mariana asked.

"I'll bring Paul and Harry with me. If he thinks I'm a joke, then he can look at Harry. Sarge said that Harry looks just like him, and with that kind of clue he shouldn't be hard to find."

Mater opened his mouth to say something, then sighed quietly and closed it. So she had found out. He had guessed that it would've been soon, after what Mariana had told him of her and Thunder's escapade.

"But do you know where he is?"

"Sure. Every minute of every day of every week." Sara smiled and held out an electronic GPS. "Doc gave it to me, after he learned that I wanted to find Snot Rod."

Mater listened to the conversation in silence, even though he was thinking hard about what Sara was saying. He figured that Sara was determined not to let Snot Rod be her father figure, since she had called him nothing but Snot Rod, and that meant that she wasn't going to be staying with him, and that she would bring Harry and Paul back. He smiled to himself. She had determination, he could see it. He secretly wanted her to succeed in finding Snot Rod, that way she would know where she really belonged; with the town, or with a father that doesn't know that he has three children, off doing who knows what in who knows where. Thunder turned around in the road, then began heading back towards the town, and the others seemed not to notice how quiet Mater was being during the remainder of the ride.

When Thunder pulled up in front of Flo's, the others laughed and he barked happily, wagging his tail. The five climbed down from the seat, thanking Mater, and petting Thunder before slipping and sliding over to Flo's, giggling every time one of them fell to the ice.

"This is fun! Whee!" Sara exclaimed before she slid halfway down the road, which was covered in a thick film of ice. She spun around in circles lazily, giggling as she bumped into the wall of a building. "Sarge, come here!" She exclaimed suddenly.

He sighed, then drove over to her carefully. "What's the matter?"

"Will you play on the ice with me?"

Sarge slipped and almost fell, but caught himself. "No, you can play with your brothers."

"But you're already on the ice, pleeeease?" She gave him a pleading look, and he sighed in defeat.

"All right."

"Yay!" And she took off, sliding as fast as she could.

Sarge slid after her, shouting, "Don't do that, you'll-Oof!" He had been so busy yelling at Sara to be careful that he hadn't seen the pile of snow directly in his path. He flew into it, sending up little clouds of snow. It was a deep snow pile, one big enough for Sarge to not be seen.

"Sarge?" Sara asked cautiously, sliding up to the snow pile.

He poked his hood out, his windshield still not able to be seen, and replied, "Yes, Sara?"

"You need to be careful, the ice is slippery." She told him seriously, then broke out laughing, along with the others.

Sarge dug his way out of the snow pile, then shook it from his body. "You little rascal!" He yelled, then began sliding back and forth, trying to chase her playfully. His tires couldn't grip the road as well as hers, so he was fishtailing all over the road as he tried.

The other four children slid after Sarge, giggling and squealing. They jumped onto him all at once, screaming, "Carpile on Sarge!"

The weight of the four sent him to the ice, and he spun around in circles, his tires splayed out in different directions. Sara jumped onto his hood as he spun, giggling wildly. The others all laughed as Sarge went hoodfirst into another snowbank, making the kids laugh. "Sarge, you're not supposed to eat the snow! You're supposed to play in it!" Sara exclaimed, giggling.

"Why me?" He asked, and his voice was muffled by the snow.

"Because, you're fun to play with." Sara replied, and she had stopped giggling.

Sarge looked at her fondly, and even though she couldn't see him smiling, his expression told her he was. Thunder got out of the harness, then jumped onto the ice. He ran in place, his paws comically windmilling as he tried to stand on the ice. He finally stopped abruptly, his legs splayed out as he braced himself against the ice. Gradually, he slid down to lay on the ice, his paws splayed out in four separate directions. He uttered a whimper, then sighed.

The five children slid over to him, and helped him stand up again.

The best they could do was get him into a sitting position, then Sara sighed and gave him a push. He slid fairly easily, and the five giggled. He barked as he almost flew into a snowpile, and somehow sent himself spinning in fast, tight circles. One after another, the kids slid after him, trying to stop him from getting hurt. He slid straight into Lightning's cone, then got up dizzily, falling back down to the ice again.

"Thunder, are you okay?" Came five worried voices.

Thunder stood up dizzily, then wobbled along on the ice, slipping and falling every few seconds. The others all laughed, then Thunder collided with Sarge, tripping over his front wheel well and landing on his hood.

"Hey!" Sarge exclaimed in surprise. He had been trying to get up, and Thunder had startled him into slipping and falling back to the ice. Thunder looked up at him dizzily, his head bobbing as his eyes crossed. The others laughed even louder as Thunder tried to kick his back paws in an attempt to push himself upright, since his front paws were pinned beneath him when he fell. He finally succeeded, and stood there for a minute before promptly slipping, flying head over paws, then ending up on his stomach again.

"I think he's had about enough, you five." Doc chuckled as the group of children slid over to Thunder's side and were helping him up.

"Awww, please, Doc?" Came five begging voices, paired with five sets of pleading eyes.

"No, I'm sorry. He doesn't look like he wants to play anymore."

Paul and Harry looked down at Thunder, who looked up at them pleadingly, almost as if he were saying, "No, I'm done for the day, please, let me go back inside?"

"Okay, Thunder." The group hoisted him up, then pushed him over to Lightning's cone. He wagged his tail gratefully, then went inside, stiff from the cold. He laid down next to the heater, and moaned softly as the warmth flowed over him. He heard the garage door open, then shut a minute later, and Harry, Paul, Mariana, Jack, and Sara entered the room. They laid down by him, and soon, the whole group was reclining by the heater, sighing contentedly.

Soon, Paul and Harry were arguing about who was getting more of the heat. Thunder raised his head up, trying to get them to stop, when the heater shut off. They all just looked at it for a minute, then burst out laughing.

"Ready to go over to Flo's, since we missed lunch?" Mariana asked Thunder, who wagged his tail and got up stiffly, stretching and moaning. The others copied him, then he barked, trotting down the hallway to his room. He led the group into his room, and then began dishing out scarves for each.

"Thanks, Thunder!" Came four prompt replies, and Thunder wagged his tail. He watched as each put on their scarves, then donned his own with Mariana's help, which was a teal-blue color, and led the way outside.

Mariana gave Flo the scarf back, neatly folded, and Flo smiled before asking, "Where's your earmuffs, silly?"

"Oh, right!" Mariana pulled them out of the storage space beneath her hood, then put them on. She giggled, then the group had hot chocolate before going to look for more snow at the Butte.

"Snow!" Paul exclaimed, before jumping hoodfirst into a large pile of the stuff. He popped back up, shook himself off like a dog, then giggled.

Harry was next to jump into the pile, and he took a running start before leaping into the snow. "That was fun! Come on, Sara, it's your turn!"

"Here I come!" She giggled, then used Thunder as a springboard after she asked him if it was all right. Thunder snatched up Mariana, then tossed her into the pile, laughing. Jack raced towards the snow, and jumped into it, doing a flip before landing on her wheels in it. Thunder barked, then jumped in, landing flat on his stomach.

The five giggled, then began spreading out to build forts and have a snowball fight. Mariana paired with Thunder, since he couldn't make his fort very well. She built a snow fort that would protect the two of them from any snowballs, then Thunder began rolling the snow into snowballs that would be easy for Mariana to throw.

Mariana grabbed one, then took aim at Jack's fort. Her gaze shifted at the last minute to Sara, who was out in the open, standing away from her fort.

**Aww, snow fun for the triplets! :3**


	27. Ice Skating and Snowball Fights

Mariana launched the snowball, and it hit its mark: right on Sara's blower.

"Hey!" Sara exclaimed in surprise, then she giggled. "It's on now!" She quickly threw her snowball towards Mariana, but missed and hit Thunder instead. "Ha ha!" Sara exclaimed triumphantly. The next minute, she was hit by Paul with a snowball. She lobbed one over his way, but missed.

Paul dodged the snowball that his sister threw at him, then he tossed one at Harry, who ducked behind his fort. It landed on his trunk, and he squealed in surprise.

"That's cold!" He exclaimed, as the others laughed. Soon, there was snowballs flying through the air, along with squeals of surprise as they each got hit at random moments by a snowball. Thunder was even participating, lobbing them at the closest car he could reach by using his mouth. The others had to be careful of those snowballs, because they were covered in doggy drool as well as being freezing cold.

Soon, the sound of multiple engines alerted the six to Doc, Lightning, Sheriff, and Sally.

"Here they are!" Lightning exclaimed, seeing the snowball fight. He grinned, then picked one up from Harry's stock. He tossed it at Sally, who laughed and darted over to Jack's side. Doc took Paul's side, leaving Sheriff to take Harry. Sara looked around, and then spotted Sarge coming down.

"Sarge, over here!" She exclaimed.

He looked over, and discovered that there was a snowball fight in progress. He sighed, then went over to stand by her. She grinned up at him, then looked over at Thunder, growling playfully. He returned the growl playfully, then lobbed a wet snowball over her way. She gasped, and backed up. It hit Sarge in the grille, and he recoiled. "That's gross."

Sara giggled, then pulled it off his grille. She formed it into a snowball again, then threw it at Thunder.

It hit him squarely in the back, and he yipped in surprise.

"That's the way to do it!" Sarge told her proudly, and she giggled.

Once more, there were snowballs flying through the air, and exclamations of surprise as they all got hit at least once.

Finally, tired and laughing, not to mention covered with melting snow, the group made their way towards town, still occasionally tossing snowballs at one another.

"What were you all doing down there for that long?" Flo asked as the sun was setting.

"Having a snowball fight." Lightning snickered, then tossed one at Thunder.

It hit him in the side, and Thunder yipped in surprise before pouncing Lightning, then bolting away, crouching in a playful position.

Lightning laughed, then chased after Thunder, fishtailing on the icy road. Thunder ran in place for a minute, then regained his grip and ran down the main road, towards the firehouse. Lightning followed after him, laughing.

Soon, the two were coming back, slipping and sliding. "Woah!" Lightning exclaimed as he slid by Thunder, who promptly fell to his rump and slid into Lightning, uttering a confused noise. The others laughed, and Mariana was laughing hardest as she saw how far they had slid.

Lightning was laughing so hard he could barely get up, and Mater wasn't helping by snickering as he watched as they slipped and slid, Thunder's paws going in separate directions.

Lightning finally was able to get back up, and when he saw Thunder struggling, he started laughing again. Thunder barked at him before slipping back down to the ice again.

Lightning rolled over to him, grinning wickedly, lazily tossing a snowball up into the air, then catching it. Thunder yipped, and tried to scramble away, but ended up falling on his chest on the ice. He got up, sliding a little, then ran in place for a moment, his nails clicking on the ice. Lightning laughed, tossed the snowball at him, and sent him sliding. Thunder howled as he laid down and rolled over onto his back, his feet flopping limply.

The others all laughed, then he rolled upright, his ears pricked and his tail wagging, his tongue lolling out. Lightning laughed, then called to him. "You drama queen!" Thunder snorted in mock disgust, then charged for Lightning, growling playfully. He couldn't stop, so he slid right into Lightning's bumper, tripping himself.

By this time, the others were laughing hysterically.

"You screwball of a dog." Lightning laughed, setting Thunder on his hood. He rolled over onto his back and howled, trying not to let his tail wag.

Lightning laughed again, then drove carefully over to Flo's, where the five children were still laughing hysterically.

"Was he always this goofy?" Sara giggled, and Lightning nodded, sending Thunder toppling off his hood and into a heap in front of his bumper.

"Oops! Sorry, Thunder!" Lightning laughed along with the others. Thunder licked his hood, and Mater began snickering as Lightning recoiled away from him. "I guess I deserved that."

Thunder sighed, then laid down next to him, his head on his paws.

Mariana, Jack, Sara, Paul, and Harry came over to him and laid down, snuggling into his fur. Over the radio came Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You', and Mariana laid between Thunder's front paws, snuggling into his fur.

_I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need, I don't care about the presents, underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own, more then you could ever know. Make my wish come true. All I want for Christmas is youuu. _

Thunder nuzzled Mariana's roof, and she hugged his chest tightly. Beside them, Lightning and Sally were snuggling together, and snow began falling.

_I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need. (And III) Don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree! I don't need to hang my stocking, there upon the fireplace. Santa Claus won't make me happy with a toy on Christmas Day. I just want you for my own, more then you could ever know. Make my wish come true. All I want for Christmas is youuu. (Youuu, Baby.) Oh, I won't ask for much this Christmas, I won't even wish for snow. (And III) Just wanna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe. I won't make a list and send it to the North Pole for St. Nick, I won't even stay awake to hear those magic reindeer click. 'Cause I just want you here tonight, holding onto me so tight, what more can I do? Baby, all I want for Christmas is youuu. (Youuu, Baby.) All the lights are shining so brightly everywhere, and the sound of children's laughter fills the air, and everyone is singing, I hear those sleigh bells ringing. Santa won't you bring me the one I really need, won't you please bring my baby to me, yeah, yeah! Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas, this is all I'm askin' for, I just wanna see my baby standin' right outside my door! Oh, I just want him for my own, more then you could ever know, make my wish come true! Oh, baby all I want for Christmaaas is youuu(Youu, baby.) All I want for Christmas is youuu, baby! All I want for Christmas is youuu, baby!_

When the song ended, Mariana managed to pull Thunder back onto the ice, and the two skated around together for a few hours.

When the streetlights came on, the two kept skating, and the radio at Lizzie's kept playing old Christmas songs.

Eventually, Lightning and Sally joined them, skating up and down the main street together. "Tonight is the best night ever." Mater heard Mariana say quietly, as he passed the two while they skated together. Thunder wagged his tail gently, seeming to agree with her.

It was still snowing, and the two decided to go down to the Butte for a nighttime snowball fight. "Just be careful, you two." Doc called after them, chuckling as Mariana giggled when Thunder slipped slightly.

They arrived back around midnight, with Mariana on Thunder's back, asleep and covered with melting snow.

"Looks like someone had too much fun today." Sally giggled, seeing Mariana. Thunder was sopping wet too, and he was shaking slightly.

Lightning drove over with Thunder, then watched as Thunder laid down in his bed, where Jack, Harry, and Paul were already laying, asleep.

Thunder awoke the next morning to the sight of snow falling and Harry and Paul halfheartedly trying to keep their voices low. He stretched and yawned, and was surprised to find Mariana and Jack were already over at Flo's. He trotted out the door with Harry and Paul, his head drooping sleepily.

"Looks like someone's still asleep." Lightning snickered, seeing Thunder.

**Aww, that's cute. :3 If you'll read my latest update on NEIWICUTB, you'll find that I'm leaving for D.C. with my Bf's family on Friday, and I'm not gonna be back until next tuesday (20th). :)**


	28. The Journey to Drag City

Thunder yawned widely as an answer, then laid down at Lightning's side, his muzzle on his paws as he blinked sleepily. Lightning petted Thunder gently, and Thunder's tail wagged halfheartedly.

"It's like all the energy was sucked out of him." Sally said quietly, petting Thunder also. Flo drove over with a coffee for Sally, then went back to get Lightning's. She noticed how tired Thunder was, then smiled. She knew that he was faking, but didn't let on that she knew. Instead, she suggested that a coffee would help. She saw a spark in Thunder's eye, and almost laughed. She drove back into her café and brought out a coffee for Thunder. He yawned widely, then began drinking the coffee quickly.

"Hey, I thought you were tired?" Lightning asked, as Flo laughed.

"No, he was faking, just trying to get some coffee." She replied, and Thunder barked, his tail wagging as fast as it would go, hitting Lightning in the side.

"Ouch! Hey, watch it, that thing's a deadly weapon!" He exclaimed, cuffing Thunder playfully on the head.

Thunder growled playfully, then nipped Lightning's tire.

"Hey!"

Thunder barked, then romped in a circle around Lightning, barking loudly and whining eagerly. He wanted to go play fetch. He barked more insistently, then ran towards the Butte. He stopped, looked over at Lightning, and barked. He ran back, then nudged Lightning.

"It's too early for fetch." Lightning said, returning to his coffee.

Thunder barked, then ran back to where Lightning was. He sat up, begging. When he got no response, he whined. He still got no response, and he sighed. He sat down, then curled his tail over his paws and gave Lightning the best begging face he could muster. He added a quiet whimper for extra effect.

"Oh, all right." Lightning sighed, unable to take any more of Thunder's begging. "Only a few throws, because it's snowing."

Thunder bolted towards the Butte, barking happily. Lightning drove after him, as the others laughed.

"He sure knows how to get what he wants." Doc chuckled."Why don't you three go down and watch him?" He asked Paul, who hopped up from a sprawling position instantly.

"Yeah! Come on guys, let's go!" He called to his sister and brother, then the three departed.

They arrived at the Butte shortly, and found Lightning and Thunder down in the center of the racetrack, warming up. They stayed where the others usually watched from so they wouldn't interrupt the two. Thunder barked eagerly, jumping up at the stick Lightning was holding.

"All right, all right, hang on, you crazy mutt." Lightning replied, and Thunder backed off, sitting patiently in the snow. Lightning almost laughed, then tossed the stick far from him and Thunder. Thunder tore after it, churning up snow with his paws and sending it into the air. He jumped up and caught the stick, then trotted back to Lightning, his tail wagging. He dropped it, then sat, his tail still wagging. Lightning threw it again, farther this time, and again, Thunder tore after it as quickly as before. He jumped up again and caught it, then almost ran back to Lightning. He dropped it, then barked, his barks echoing off the wall behind them.

"One more throw, that's it, all right?" Lightning said after about an hour of throwing.

Thunder whimpered, then sat up, begging.

"No, one more. The snow's going to be too thick to see very far, and I know how upset you're gonna be if you can't find it. Maybe those three will throw some easy ones for you." Lightning pointed up at the three Barracudas, which were just barely visible through the thickly falling snow. Thunder sighed, then got ready to chase the stick. Lightning smiled, then threw it towards the wall. Thunder bolted after it just as Harry, Paul, and Sara came down to see better.

"Oh, he's gonna crash!" Sara said worriedly, watching as Thunder charged towards the wall, his eyes on the stick as it gradually lowered in altitude.

"No he won't. Just watch." Lightning said, grinning. Thunder glanced at the wall to see it coming up fast. He glanced back up at the stick, and took notice of its position. Abruptly, he leapt onto the wall, then ran on its surface. He jumped at the stick, his jaws wide.

The four watched as it seemed to happen in slow motion: Thunder's paws leaving the rock, the stick spinning horizontally, like the top blade of a helicopter, Thunder's eyes blink once. Everything seemed to fast forward from that point, and they saw Thunder hit the ground hard and not rise.

"Thunder!"

They fought their way through the snow towards him, where the stick was at his side, and he was lying limply in the snow.

"Thunder, what happened?!" Sara exclaimed, as Paul's windshield began filling with tears.

"Not again!" Harry exclaimed hysterically.

"You guys, calm down. I won't be able to figure out what's wrong if you guys flip out, okay?" Lightning said firmly, then he picked up Thunder, setting his body on his hood. "I think I can feel him breathing, so he might've just been knocked out." Lightning told the others, who relaxed, sinking down in the snow slightly. Thunder moaned, then shook his head a little. "See? Maybe the stick just caught him in the head a little. You all right, Thunder?" Lightning asked, and Thunder moaned again. His tail wagged slightly, and he curled up on Lightning's hood.

"What's wrong now?" Harry asked, looking up at Lightning fearfully.

"I imagine a stick that thick hitting the side of your roof might not feel too good, so he's probably got a splitting headache." Lightning replied, looking down at Harry.

Harry and the others nodded as they each looked at the stick in turn, then winced as they imagined the dents in their roofs from it. "I think we should go back up anyway, the snow's starting to really fall." Lightning scooped the three kids onto his hood, and they all cuddled Thunder gently. Lightning took them over to his cone, and set Thunder in his bed. "There you go, pal." He said softly, then smiled as the two boys dragged Mariana's blanket over him before snuggling in on either side of him. "Sara, do you want to-"

He looked around for Sara, only to find her lying next to Thunder.

"All right." He gently shut the door, then let the group be. He drove back over to Flo's, glancing back at his cone.

"What happened to Thunder this time?" Sally asked, looking over at Lightning.

"The stick cracked him in the head." Lightning replied to Sally's question, guiltily chuckling. He fell silent at a glance from Sally, then looked surprised as Sara came out of his cone.

"Sara, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to ask Sarge something." She threw a meaningful look over in Sarge's direction, and he drove out to meet her.

"Is there anything in the Hut you need?" He asked innocently.

"There might be. Could we go check?"

"Certainly."

The two drove off, glancing at each other and grinning. Sarge figured that Sara was going to try and find her father, and he wasn't wrong.

As soon as they closed the door behind them she announced hesitantly, "I want to go find Snot Rod."

"When?"

"Today, if that's all right."

"Where is he?"

"In the state, as far as I can tell. He's been at some place called 'Drag City' for a while now."

'_She'll never make it there by morning, if that's what she wants to do._' Sarge thought, looking down at her firm expression.

"I might need to stay for a few days, maybe even a week until I find him." She spoke up, and Sarge looked down at her again.

"If you're going to head out tonight, then you'll need lights." He replied gruffly, and Sara grinned.

"Go get Harry. He'll need a pair too. And Paul, too."

"You mean you want all of us to go?"

"Of course. It's hard to not believe when you've got three identical cars looking up at you."

Sara agreed with a giggle, then left to go get Paul and Harry. They arrived shortly, and Sarge hooked them up with extra lights.

"So this is it. We're really going to find dad?" Harry asked, and Sara nodded.

"That's the first time that you've said that he's our dad." Paul pointed out to Sara, and Sara nodded, thinking of the long trip ahead.

"When will we set out, Sarge?"

"You can go now, but be careful." He drove them to the door, and one by one, they thanked him for the lights, and said their goodbyes.

Sara gave him a hug, then uttered a whisper too low for Paul or Harry to hear.

Sarge grinned, then waved them off as they drove down the road, following the GPS.

They kept to just under the speed limit, making a quick pace, then stopped at the billboard to ask Sara where to go from there.

"We just keep following the road." She replied simply, then the group kept going.

"Punchbuggy!" Harry exclaimed, punching Paul in the side as they passed by a lime-green Beetle. Paul swerved in shock, then exclaimed, "Hey!" After he got over his scare, the group laughed.

They drove until it got dark, then they pulled over on the side of the highway, into the brush. It had started to snow again, but they found a spot where the branches and leaves were cleared away. There was no snow in the little clearing, due to the presence of branches and leaves above them. It was large enough for them to spread out comfortably, and they all settled down. Sara looked out through the entrance to their sleeping quarters, into the little bit of cloudy sky she could see. She smiled as she thought about her whispered words spoken to Sarge.

Sarge was staring up into the night sky outside as he lowered the flag at the same time, and remembered that Sara had whispered to him, "No matter what, you'll be my dad, forever and always." He smiled as he spotted the moon through the clouds. He took the flag inside, then went to sleep. Sara snuggled against her brothers, who were already sleeping, then slowly fell asleep too.

She awoke abruptly in the morning, her night filled with dreams of Snot Rod, what he would be like, and how loud his sneezes were. The largest one of all had been what had woken her up, and she was relieved to see Paul and Harry waking up also. Sara looked out through the entrance, and saw light traffic.

"Everyone must be at work." Sara replied. She and her brothers were able to get onto the highway without much trouble.

They stayed in the right lane, all together. They spotted a squad car, and pulled over to ask for directions, since the GPS had lost its charge. He offered to take them there himself, and they thanked him as they accepted his offer.

"You three going back home? You're a long way away from it." He asked politely, smiling down at them.

"No, we live in Radiator Springs. At least I hope we will after this." Sara replied, and she looked worriedly at her brothers, who shared her expression.

"What's wrong? Why wouldn't you live there anymore?"

"We're going to find our dad, and he lives in Drag City." Paul spoke up, and the officer looked more confused then he already was.

"It's a long story." Harry said.

"It'll take a long time to get there, so I think we'll be able to squeeze it in. Besides, it might shorten the trip." The officer replied, smiling down at them all.

"Maybe you're right, Officer...?"

"Fritzpatrick."

"Nice to meet you! I'm Paul, that's Sara, and-"

"I'm Harry."

"Nice to meet you all too."

They began driving on the highway again, telling Officer Fritzpatrick why they were going to Drag City.

"...but Sara doesn't think she'll like him very much." Paul finished with his part of the story, and Sara frowned at him.

"Why's that?" Officer Fritzpatrick asked Sara, looking at her in confusion.

Sara sighed, then replied, "It just... doesn't feel like he's our dad. It feels like he's some total stranger that we've known since we were born but never visited him. The way we grew up, we thought we were orphans."

The police Camaro nodded understandingly, then looked down at her. "I know how you feel. My wife and I were childhood friends, and then one of us moved. We finally met up again at the police academy. I'm still a bit ashamed to say that I didn't recognize her, even though she recognized me." He chuckled, and the triplets giggled.

"Hey, look!"

Paul pointed to a road sign that read, "DRAG CITY, 5 MILES".

"Well, you three are nearly there." He replied, smiling down at them.

"Thanks so much, Officer Fritzpatrick."

"My pleasure, you three. Can you make it from here, or should I come with you?" Sara, Harry, and Paul exchanged looks, clearly wondering which choice would be better. After a few seconds, they reached an agreement, then Sara spoke up.

"No thank you, sir. We should be able to manage from here." She offered him a smile, which was returned with a chuckle and a friendly nudge in the side with a tire.

"All right, good luck then. If you're ever in Amarillo, look me up." He said, before driving away.

**Well, they've finally set out on the adventure!**

**Did anyone else LOL at the 'Punchbuggy!' bit? I couldn't resist putting it in. xD**


	29. The Triplets Meet Snot Rod

The group looked at each other, then up at the sign for a while, pointing down a dusty dirt road. "Must be a town kinda like Radiator Springs if it's got a dirt road as the main one." Harry piped up finally, and Sara and Paul agreed.

"He sure was nice." Paul said, and Sara nodded.

"Let's get going. The sun's almost down." Sara said, and they drove down the dirt road. They looked around cautiously when they reached the city, wondered if any of the houses could be Snot Rod's. They spotted a 1970 Dodge Challenger with bright purple paint, a blower slightly smaller then what they assumed their dad's looked like, and tailpipes underneath her doors that shot out small flames when she revved her badly out-of-tune engine. Sara, Harry, and Paul looked around at the rundown houses, the lawns that desperately needed to be trimmed and removed of weeds, and decided that this couldn't be Drag City.

They drove over to the Challenger and asked timidly where Drag City was. She replied, "You three are in it, dears. How can I help?", assuming that they were lost.

"We're looking for a car that looks just like him-" Sara pushed Harry forward. "Only much bigger."

"You mean Snot Rod? Oh, yes, of course. He's right down this way, follow me." She drove off down the main road, the three following her.

"She's really nice. Almost like Lizzie." Paul whispered to Harry, and Sara overheard. She smiled, then focused on the house that the Challenger was pointing at with a tire.

"That's the one dears. Go on, go on, don't be shy." She urged them gently with a soft smile. Sara went up to the door and knocked hesitantly.

The place looked a little better then the rest they had seen, but not by much. The door opened, and a large, orange Barracuda rolled into they entryway. "Hello?" He asked in a slightly stuffy voice.

"Hi. I'm-Uh-" Words failed Sara at the moment, and she just stood there, opening and closing her mouth.

Finally, she uttered a sigh, and an apology. "We're your kids." She said, then winced at her tone. She hadn't meant for it to sound so harsh.

"Don't be silly. I don't have any." He replied, looking at her suspiciously.

"Then explain this." She pulled Harry forward, and the larger car's eyes widened.

"You look just like me." He said before sneezing loudly. "'Scuze me. Look, why don't you guys come on in?"

"Thank you, Ms...?"

"Oh, you can just call me Pam, you three." The Challenger smiled down at them.

They thanked her, then thanked Snot Rod before entering his home. He led them to the table, where the group parked. "So you guys are sure you're my kids..." Snot Rod asked them hesitantly, and Paul nodded eagerly.

"We sure are! Sarge and Doc said so!"

"Who?" Snot Rod asked, sniffling slightly.

"Sarge said that you passed through Radiator Springs about a year ago." Sara offered, and Snot Rod's expression brightened.

"Oh, yeah! I remember that place! There was a blue one, no, no, two blue ones, one was darker then the other, then there was some kind of soldier, then there was a hippie freak that he used to argue with, and there was that racecar, McQueen!" He exclaimed brightly, remembering.

"There's a whole lot more, but yeah, that was them. The dark blue one and the soldier are the ones we're talking about."

"Oh, and there was that rusty tow truck! What's up with him, anyway? Is he like against getting repainted or what?"

"That's Mater, and no, he just doesn't care about it." Paul piped up, grinning at Snot Rod. Snot Rod smiled back at him, then sighed.

"You guys are probably gonna have to stay here for the night, it's too late out to go home."

"Thanks." Harry said quietly. He offered a small smile to Snot Rod, and it was returned.

"I guess that I can't kid myself any more. You three really are my children."

"What won you over? Was it my awesomeness, or was it his smile, or was it her leadership skills?" Paul asked, bouncing up and down.

"I think it was a combination of those traits, and plus, you're a lot like me when I was little. I never shut up, and I was constantly getting on somebody's nerves." He laughed, then told them that he was kidding.

"No, but I was really like your brother." He said, gesturing with a tire at Harry.

Harry looked over at Snot Rod with wonder. "You were?"

"Yeah, really shy at first, but then I turned into a real party animal." He laughed, then sneezed again. "'Scuze me." He added as the children giggled.

Suddenly, Paul sneezed, sending tiny flames out of his tailpipes as the butterfly valves in his blower opened and closed. "Good bless you!" Snot Rod exclaimed, making the kids giggle. "Huh, that's the first time I've said that to anyone except myself." He said, looking at Paul.

Paul giggled, then asked Snot Rod what he did for fun.

"I usually watch the tube, or screw around with my ga- uh, friends."

"Who are your friends? Could we meet them, dad?" Paul asked, giving Snot Rod a pleading look.

"I guess so. I'll go call them." He left the room, and the three children looked around at one another.

"He's really sweet." Sara sighed.

"And funny too!" Paul giggled.

"I agree with Sara." Harry said, then giggled. "But he is pretty funny."

"All right you guys, they should be here in a few minutes."

"They live that close?"

"Yeah, all of them do."

"Cool!" Chorused the three.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at Snot Rod's door, then someone called, "Yo, Snot Rod, what did ya want, man?" Snot Rod went over to the door and opened it. One by one, three tuner cars drove into the room.

"These are my kids, apparently." Snot Rod said with a grin, then backed up to reveal the three.

"Hi, I'm Sara." Sara replied, going over to DJ.

"What's up, man?" He greeted her, giving her a friendly roof noogie. She laughed, then pushed her brother Harry forward to meet DJ.

"Hey, Snot! This one looks just like you!" Wingo exclaimed, looking down at Harry. "What's up, little man?" Wingo exclaimed, giving Harry a friendly nudge.

"Hi." Harry said, then smiled shyly.

"Yo, he does look like you, man! You're gonna have a tough time talking yourself out of this one!" DJ exclaimed, lifting Harry up. Harry froze up, shaking slightly when DJ picked him up. He didn't really like these cars.

Snot Rod noticed how uncomfortable Harry was, and said, "Hey, come on man, put him down, I don't think he likes it."

"Yeah, yeah, sure, man." DJ put Harry down, then he raced over to Snot Rod's side, hiding behind his wheel. "The girl's pretty cool though." DJ replied, grinning over at Sara, who giggled.

"Thanks!" She drove over to Wingo, then asked, "Why do you have such a big spoiler?"

"Because, man, it helps me look good. The name's Wingo."

Sara giggled. "That's a funny name. I'm Sara."

"That name's too normal for one of Snotty's kids, man. How about we call you...Sneezy!" Wingo, DJ, and Boost laughed, then Wingo nudged Sara in the side. "Only jokin', man. Your name is pretty tight." He added with a nod and a grin.

Sara pointed to Harry. "He's Harry."

"'Sup, Harry?" Wingo nodded over in Harry's direction, and Harry waved back shyly with a tire. "He's a timid little guy, ain't he Deege?" Wingo nudged DJ in the side.

"He sure is, man. Here, let me put on a tune I think he'll recognize!" DJ said, trying to hold back laughter. He flipped through his CD's, then popped one in his CD player. The Chicken Dance flowed through the room, sending Wingo, DJ, and Boost into loud peals of laughter. Harry whimpered, then hid behind Snot Rod, shaking.

"Hey, that wasn't very nice!" Paul exclaimed, then went to comfort his brother.

DJ shut the music off, then called to Paul, "Hey, we ain't tryin' to be nice, kid. Don't you know who we are?"

"You're Snot Rod's-I-I mean our dad's friends, right?"

"That word is so old, man. We're the DRH. The Delinquent Road Hazards. It's a gang that our leader Boost organized." Snot Rod tried to stop DJ, but it was too late.

"A gang?" Sara turned to Snot Rod, looking for an explanation.

"Yeah, Sara, a gang. You know, we ride around at midnight, terrorizin' cars for fun." DJ rambled on and on. "And I bring the beats." He said smugly.

"I got the boost, and the carbon fiber, man." Boost replied, grinning.

"And me, well, I've got the wing and neon. We all do." Wingo replied, looking in his tiny mirrors fondly at his wing.

"And let me guess, my dad has the power and the fire, right?" Sara asked, annoyed.

"Yo, don't get in our grills, half-pint. This is what we do for fun."

"Who are you calling half-pint?!" Sara shrieked, glaring at the three of them.

"You, squirt."DJ replied, driving forward to stare down at her intimidatingly.

"You have pretty eyes." Sara said suddenly, then DJ backed off, Wingo and Boost collapsing on the floor from laughter.

"Wha-?" DJ said in confusion, looking from Sara to Boost and Wingo.

"Your eyes. They're a pretty color." She replied, and that sent Wingo and Boost into peals of laughter again.

"Make her stop, man, I'm gonna die!" Boost chortled, leaning on Wingo for support as Wingo laughed just as hard.

"I still like my dad's better though." She said, driving over to Snot Rod and grinning up at him. Snot Rod chuckled, picked her up, then set her on his hood. "Woah!" She exclaimed in surprise as she slid down his hood and landed on the floor.

"Hey, Snotty, looks like you make a good slide! We'll see ya tomorrow night, man! Just keep them kids at home!" Wingo called out, still laughing hard with Boost as the group rolled out the door.

When it closed, Snot Rod sighed sadly and turned around to comfort Harry. "Hey, they didn't mean it. They're just- well, they're screwing around. As usual." He patted Harry on the roof gently, and Harry nudged the tire, closing his eyes in shame.

"Why don't you stand up to those guys? They were mean to Harry." Sara asked, looking at Snot Rod.

"I'm not the kind of person who will stand up to anybody." Snot Rod said, his eyes full of guilt as he dropped them to his hood.

"You should start. It'll really help."

"They push me around, but I'm used to it." Snot Rod admitted.

"You shouldn't be used to it." Sara said firmly. "You're a muscle car. You could use your strength to your advantage."

"I guess so."

Sara could tell that he was reluctant, but let it slide, and changed topics. "Where should we sleep?"

As if on cue, Harry let out a large yawn, then giggled. "Sorry."

"No, it's all right. You three can sleep in the guest bedroom."

Snot Rod led the way up a ramp, then down a hallway off to their left. "Here's where you guys can sleep, if you want." He offered a smile, then went to go get blankets for the three. When he returned, the group was already on the mattress, looking at things that had been tacked up on the walls. "This used to be my old room." Snot Rod said, then drove into the room.

"Your real name is Brian?"

"Yeah, but those guys changed it because they thought it was lame."

"They sure sound like fun." Harry replied, looking up at Snot Rod sadly.

"It was fun, for a while, but then they wanted to do stuff like that every night. Of course, I've got no choice to go with them, otherwise they'll laugh themselves to death, and tease me even more then they all ready do." Snot Rod replied sadly, handing the three their blankets, which looked like they were wheel made, with intricate designs. "My mother loved to knit." He chuckled, seeing Sara looking at them with wonder.

"She was really good. I can't even sew two pieces of cloth together."

"I remember, I'd sit for hours at her side, watching her make blankets and scarves. Because of that, I guess I always got first pick." He smiled, looking down at the three, who were snuggled under their blankets, yawning sleepily. "You guys had better get to sleep, it's late."

He received a sleepy nod from each, then was surprised to hear Sara say, "Good night, dad." quietly.

"Good night. I'll see you in the morning." He replied just as quietly, then left, closing their door gently.

In the morning, he was startled awake when he splayed his tires out and felt someone or something press against his side. "What?" He yawned, looking down at the tiny version of himself lying in the bed beside him. It yawned, then opened its eyes and looked up at him.

"Morning." Paul said sleepily, yawning widely.

"Good morning..." Snot Rod said slowly, unsure if Paul being asleep by his side was normal or not.

Seeing Snot Rod's expression, Paul said, "I had a nightmare."

"It's all right. It just surprised me a little."

Paul yawned again, then got out of bed and stretched, then bounced up and down excitedly. "What are we going to do today, dad?"


	30. Life at Snot Rod's

**Hello, everyone. I know that I just uploaded yesterday, but I've got a very important announcement to make: I'm moving. I'm not sure when. All I know is that my mother is going to see a townhouse with a realtor tomorrow. I wanted to get as many stories finished up as possible before that moving day comes, because I'm afraid that all my stories are going to get lost, or we're going to sell the PC they're on, or we won't be able to hook it up right... or something along those lines. So from now on, I may update my stories as often as every other day, maybe even every day. If anyone has any experience at all with moving, it would be helpful! Thanks for under standing, Liz.**

* * *

"First, I think we should wait for your brother and sister to wake up." Snot Rod said, hesitantly tickling Paul, who squirmed and laughed.

"Daad!" He exclaimed, squealing.

Snot Rod laughed, then kept tickling Paul.

"Carpile on dad!" Harry shouted from the doorway, then took a racing leap at Snot Rod before jumping onto his hood. Sara came speeding into the room, having heard Harry.

"Hey!" Snot Rod exclaimed in surprise as Harry slid down his hood, giggling.

"Gotcha!" Harry exclaimed, and Snot Rod laughed.

"Oh, no!" He moaned, sinking down to the floor, trying not to laugh.

"Rawr!" Sara giggled, climbing onto Snot Rod's blower.

"Oh, you got me!" He snickered, then got up. "All right you three. Should we go scare the guys awake?" Snot Rod asked with a devilish grin.

"Yeah!" Harry said, an equally wicked grin spreading across his bumper.

"Okay, but we're gonna have to be quiet." Snot Rod warned them.

"Sure! We know how to be sneaky."

"Okay, then let's go get you guys some breakfast so we can head out." He smiled at Harry, then sneezed loudly.

"Bless you!" Paul exclaimed, giggling.

"Thank you, Paul." Snot Rod sniffed, then they drove down the ramp, planning on how to scare each of the tuners.

"I think we should paint Wingo's spoiler with invisible paint! That way, when he goes to look at it in the mirror, it's not gonna be there!" Sara snickered.

"That's a good thought, but where would we get the paint and brushes?" Snot Rod wondered, and Sara sighed.

"Good point."

"Hmm... what if we trade Boost's cans of boost for a can of coffee!"

"Hey, that's a great idea! I'd love to see him spaz out!" Snot Rod laughed. "What do you have for DJ's prank, Harry? And Sara, maybe think up another good one for Wingo. It's got to be good, and it's got to be doable."

"What about we smash a blank CD with one of his favorite song titles written across it?" Harry asked, grinning a little too wickedly. "Great idea, Harry!"

"Oh, I know! What if we drench Wingo in coffee?"

"We were gonna do somethin' like that to Boost."

"Yeah, but this coffee is gonna be really hot."

"All right, so, two coffee pranks and one CD-smashing prank." Snot Rod grinned at the trio, who giggled, then they went to go make the coffee and get a blank CD. Snot Rod wrote the name of DJ's favorite artist, then the name of the one CD by that artist he didn't have. "There we go! Now, for the mallet." Snot Rod said, pulling a small rubber mallet out of a drawer.

"All we gotta do now is wait for the coffee to be done." Paul and Harry said simultaneously. They shared a glance, then giggled.

"You three are so evil." Snot Rod snickered, making the kids laugh.

Finally, the coffee for Boost was done, now all they had to do was make the coffee for Wingo's prank. "We'll let it cool first, then we'll put it in Boost's boost tanks." Snot Rod told the kids, who nodded.

"I like coffee." Paul blurted out suddenly, looking up at Snot Rod with a grin.

"Yeah, that doesn't mean that I'm gonna make you some." Snot Rod chuckled. He knew full well what happened when kids had coffee. "You don't need any, anyhow. You're hyper enough as it is."

"Mater gets me a cup though."

"Yeah, but there you had the whole town to terrorize. Here, it's just me and the other three." Snot Rod laughed. "Why don't you guys go watch tv until this is done? It's going to be a LOT of coffee if we're going to drench Wingo in it." He smiled at Sara, who nodded, then departed with her brothers into the living room to watch cartoons.

Snot Rod came out about fifteen minutes later to tell them that the coffee was ready.

"Woah, that sure was fast." Paul said, grinning and bouncing up and down with anticipation.

"Let's pack this up and get going! Let's go to Wingo's house first, that way the coffee will still be relatively hot."

"Okay!" The kids agreed, then they packed up the coffee in giant cups, and bowls and containers, then drove over to Wingo's house.

"He likes to sleep until about noon, so we're safe yet." Snot Rod told the others, who giggled, then quickly fell silent as they approached Wingo's house.

They let themselves in through the door quietly, then went to separate sides of Wingo, two on either side in the front, two on either side in the back.

Snot Rod raised a wheel and waved it twice. That was the signal they agreed on to tell them to get ready with their coffee. Each raised their container full of coffee, awaiting Snot Rod's nod.

He nodded once, and everyone poured burning hot coffee on Wingo, who spluttered incomprehensibly until he felt the heat. Then, he leapt into the air, yowling like an angry cat.

Snot Rod and the triplets collapsed on the floor, rolling around and laughing uncontrollably.

"Wait, wait, wait! I gotta sneeze!" Sara squealed, but the warning came too late. She sneezed mid-sentence, and that caused them to laugh even harder.

Paul was laughing the hardest, banging one of his front tires on the floor, tears streaming from his eyes.

The others were laughing almost as hard just from looking at him.

"That ain't cool, man!"

"I know, it was hot!" Snot Rod exclaimed before continuing with his laughter.

"I guess it did wake me up. And I guess I must've looked pretty sweet, man. Flyin' into the air and all." Wingo admitted, laughing.

They shared a good laugh, then Wingo asked if he had any plans for the others.

"I sure do! We were gonna break a fake CD in front of DJ. And replace Boost's canisters with coffee."

"Sweet prankage, man!" Wingo nodded his approval.

"It wasn't me, it was all them." Snot Rod admitted, gesturing to the three giggling 'Cudas on the floor.

"Which one of ya thought up my prank?"

"Me!" Sara exclaimed before collapsing into a giggling fit.

"Well done, man." Wingo snickered, then talked Snot Rod into letting him come along to help with Boost's prank.

"Sure!"

"Man, I can't wait to see what happens when he tries somethin'! He's gonna go nuts!"

Snot Rod nodded his agreement, then looked over at the three who were gasping for breath and trying to stand.

Harry had the hiccups, which turned out to be really loud. Sara and Paul couldn't even stand properly because they were giggling too hard at Harry.

"Now THAT's funny, man!" Wingo chortled, pointing at Harry with a tire. Harry was trying not to giggle, but every time he hiccuped, he seemed to find it hysterical.

"All right, all right. Harry, ..."

As he was trying to get them to calm down, Snot Rod looked over at Harry, which was a mistake. Harry hiccuped his loudest and most strange-sounding one yet, and Snot Rod lost his composure. He burst out laughing, along with the others.

"Stop, stop! I'm gonna puke!" Sara squealed, giggling hard. Suddenly, she sneezed, and went flying backwards.

Wingo laughed shamelessly at her, pointing a tire in her direction. "Did ya hear the sneeze, man? She shrieked!" Wingo collapsed to the floor, laughing about as hard as he could.

Harry's hiccups seemed to be getting worse everytime he laughed, so he quickly shut his mouth. When a hiccup came, he bounced off the floor.

Paul was laughing the hardest of all, on his roof as he kicked his wheels in the air.

"Stop, stop! Please! I'll do anything!" Soon, he got the hiccups too, at a faster rate then Harry's. "Now-hic-what?" Paul exclaimed, and fired off a good five hiccups in a row.

"You guys need to stop hiccuping, otherwise we'll never get anywhere." Snot Rod said, trying not to laugh. He failed when Harry suddenly let out a loud, squealing hiccup.

He placed a tire over his windshield, laughing.

Sara was giggling loudly, on her roof. "P-Please, stop! I'm gonna pee!" She squealed, her wheels pedaling wildly through the air.

Once they all stopped laughing, they looked around at one another. Harry hiccuped loudly at the same time that he took a breath, so it sounded like a growl from a lion. They all burst out laughing again, then quickly stopped as their sides ached from laughing so hard.

"Are you three all good? No more hiccups, no more sneezing, no more giggling?" Snot Rod asked, trying his hardest not to snicker.

The three merely nodded, Harry keeping his mouth tightly shut in case there were any more hiccups. They drove out of Wingo's home, then headed over to DJ's.

"We're going to have to wake DJ up for this, or else he won't know what the joke is." Wingo pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, good idea." Sara said.

"Can I do it?"

"No, I want to!"

"Hey, what about-HIC!-Me?"

"You all can do it." Snot Rod replied quickly, sensing an argument.

"Okay." The triplets replied contentedly, then fell silent, except for Harry's occasional hiccup.

"Nice work, man." Wingo muttered quietly to Snot Rod. Snot Rod nodded, then got out the CD and mallet.

"You realize that until he learns it's a fake, he's gonna be tryin' to kill you, man." Wingo pointed out, but Snot Rod shrugged.

"I'm not afraid of him."

Wingo laughed. "Then make it good, man! We might need to get a camera for this!" Wingo laughed, then quickly fell silent as they neared DJ's house.

"All right, you kids go in and wake him up, then bring him outside. I'll break the CD in the grass, I guess." Snot Rod instructed, realizing that there would be plastic shards from the CD. Snot Rod opened the door, then let the kids go in, one at a time. He and Wingo then listened through the open doorway to see if they could hear anything.

They heard Sara, Paul, and Harry exclaiming about something in the grass, then Snot Rod realized something. "Hey, Wingo, what do you want me to do with this 'Like a V6' CD?" he improvised, speaking loudly so DJ was sure to hear him.

Wingo caught on quickly, and replied just as loudly, "I don't need it man, so why don't ya just smash it?"

"All right." Snot Rod sniffed, then there was the sound of something being shattered.

"NOOO!" DJ leaped out his front door to see Snot Rod breaking a CD and Wingo watching. "Snot Rod! What are ya doing, smashing an innocent CD like that?!" DJ yelled, and Snot Rod tried not to laugh as he kept smashing it.

"I don't need it, neither does Wingo, so I've got no use for it. Did you want it?"

"That was the only one I DIDN'T have!" DJ screamed, ramming Snot Rod out of the way as he looked at the shattered remains of the CD.

Wingo and Snot Rod bumped tires, sharing sly grins.

"Why would you idiots do that?!" DJ exclaimed, starting to accept that he couldn't repair the CD.

"It was a fake."

"Huh?"

"It was a blank CD."

DJ looked at Snot Rod, trying to determine if he was lying.

Snot Rod grinned wickedly, then laughed. "Ya know I wouldn't smash a _real_ CD, right?"

DJ hesitated slightly, then shook his hood. "No, of course ya wouldn't. At least, not after I killed ya." DJ replied, laughing.

The kids drove out of the house, then jumped on DJ's roof. "Carpile on DJ!"

"Hey!" DJ exclaimed in surprise, his tires slipping out from underneath him as he landed on the grass. Snot Rod and Wingo laughed, then jumped into the carpile. "Cut it out, you guys! Come on, you're gonna break my CDs!" DJ wailed as he struggled to get out of the pile.

"Like I didn't do to that blank?" Snot Rod laughed.

"That was different! You shattered that one!"

"All right, come on you three, let him up." Snot Rod said finally, backing off. DJ was already back on his tires, the three 'Cudas still on his roof.

"Boo!" Sara exclaimed, abruptly falling onto DJ's hood. DJ jumped back slightly, surprised. Sara giggled, and Harry fell onto DJ's hood also, still hiccuping occasionally.

"Harry, put a tire in it!" Sara giggled, pushing her brother playfully. He slid off DJ's hood with a small yelp and landed in the grass. "Sorry, Harry!" Sara exclaimed as Harry giggled, not hiccuping anymore.

"You faker!" Paul exclaimed, stepping down onto DJ's windshield.

"Hey, watch it, little man!"

"Oops, sorry!" Paul said, then jumped onto the grass. He did a barrel roll, then popped back up onto his tires. "Tada!" He exclaimed, grinning triumphantly.

"Nice dismount, Paul!" Snot Rod replied.

"Now, for the ultimate prank! We swap out Boost's canisters of boost for coffee! He'll never know the difference, at least until he activates it! MWHAHAHA!" Sara laughed evilly, narrowing her eyes.

The rest of the group was watching her, slightly wary.

"What? I saw it in a movie." She replied, and they relaxed. "Gee, you didn't think I was really that evil, did you?" She rolled her eyes, shook her hood, then looked to Snot Rod. "Where does Boost live?"

Snot Rod pointed in the direction they were going, at a house that was gigantic.

"Woah. He lives in that?"

"He sure does." Wingo replied.

"How are we gonna find him?"

"Easy. He probably took the best bedroom for himself, so all we gotta do is find that. And the best bedroom is usually at the top of the house." DJ replied.

"Come on, man, ya don't really think that's gonna work, right?"

"DJ does have a point." Sara said, driving alongside Wingo.

"That's where I would go to look for him." Harry spoke up.

"All right, let's go find us a victim." Wingo sighed.

The group let themselves into Boost's house, then drove up the ramps. They looked in every room, finding empty rooms. Finally, Sara poked her hood out into the hallway from a door on the right of the ramp.

"You guys, I found him." She hissed, and they each looked into the hallway, then drove over to her.

"You did?"

"Yeah, he's right here. Look."

The group peeked into the room and saw Boost sprawled out on his mattress, one wheel dangling off it. Sara grinned wickedly, then silently rolled into the room. A floorboard squeaked loudly, and Sara nearly jumped a foot into the air. She drove back over to the group, then asked Snot Rod if she could take the coffee over to Boost.

"Sure, here." He gave it to her, and she set off into his room again.

It was perfect because he had taken off his boost tanks for the night and had left them lying on a table. Sara emptied the boost out into a container, then poured the coffee into the empty boost canisters, filling each to the top. She then capped them as Boost had done the night before, and crept out of the room with the nitrous in the container.

She accidentally rolled on the squeaky floorboard, and it let out a loud squeak. She froze instantly and looked at Boost as though she was a deer caught in headlights. He mumbled in his sleep and shifted his position, but didn't wake up. Sara crept the rest of the way out of his room, then let out a sigh.

"Huh, wha?" Boost mumbled louder, waking up.

"Get out of here, NOW." Sara hissed to the others, and they fled for the door.


	31. Acting Cute and Crushed tails

She hesitated, hiding under a table as she watched Boost look around before getting out of bed. He drove over and attached his boost tanks. He drove out of the room without noticing Sara, who held her breath until she couldn't hear him moving around anymore. Then she let out a silent sigh before looking around cautiously. He was nowhere to be found, and she crept out from underneath the table, extremely wary.

Meanwhile, outside, Snot Rod was panicking. "What is he gonna do when he finds her? She's not back yet, right? She hasn't come out anywhere else, so she's obviously trapped in there. I hope he isn't mad at her because he can get really-"

"Dad! Calm down!"

Snot Rod jumped slightly as he looked down at Harry.

"She's gonna be all right. She's super sneaky, and she was adopted by a Sergeant, so she knows what to do if she gets trapped somewhere by an enemy."

Snot Rod sighed, and kept pacing. Wingo and DJ just parked off to the side and watched him, glancing at each other worriedly, unsure of what to do.

Sara had been able to sneak down to the floor below without being seen, her army training kicking in. She knew that she needed to get out of the house, and searched for a way out from her hiding spot, on top of a cabinet. She backed away from the edge as Boost passed by, then noticed a ledge that she could fit on without being seen. She scrambled up onto it quietly, but couldn't help releasing a small grunt of surprise. There were pictures of female cars everywhere, all with bright, vibrant paintjobs and smiling faces. **(A/N: She found Boost's 'special' room. *cough* P#rn *cough cough*)**

'_He's got some weird girlfriends, although they're all really pretty._'

She spotted a door, then tried to get down from the ledge. She dropped suddenly off the ledge, but caught herself, gripping on the edge of the wall with her life. She spotted Boost's headlights coming into the room, and slipped behind the wall, holding her breath. She drove over to the door and opened it.

'_Great. More ramps._' She thought and drove down them, applying her brakes lightly so they wouldn't squeak.

The ramps led her down towards the bottom of Boost's house, and she didn't recognize anything. She decided to drive back up, and arrived in the room of the posters of beautiful cars again.

'_Hmm... I think I should go this way._' She thought, sneaking out of the room. She entered a hallway that was empty. She looked left and right before venturing into the right side. There was the front room, and the front door too! She dashed for it, and pushed the door. It didn't budge, and she rammed into it.

The noise echoed loudly, and she froze in her tracks. She hid under a table quickly, and not a moment too soon. Boost drove into the room, his back bumper to Sara. He stared at the door curiously, having heard a bang at the door. He shrugged and left the room. Sara watched him go, then went back over to the door, trying to figure out how to open it. She looked up, and saw the button to open the door. She jumped up, and hit it with a tire. It didn't open.

She jumped up again, and hit it again, harder this time. It rolled upward, and Sara darted outside. She climbed up the frame of the garage door, monkey-style, then hit the button again to bring the door down.

She drove back over to Snot Rod's house, and was instantly pinned to the floor by her brothers.

"You're okay!" Snot Rod nuzzled her affectionately, and smiled.

"Of course I am!" She giggled, and Wingo gave her another roof noogie.

"Did ya give him the swap?"

"Of course! Here's his boost 'juice' or whatever it is." She tossed the sealed container at him, and he opened it up.

"Sweet." DJ grinned, nodding in time to the bass thumping out of his speakers.

"Hey, DJ, you have any Nickleback on there?" She asked.

"Sure. Which song?"

"Burn It To The Ground." Sara replied promptly.

DJ grinned. "I like you, kid. You're okay." He replied as he put the CD on. He turned the sound up, and the song flowed through the room, the base dropping until it was throbbing.

_Well it's midnight, damn right, we're wound up too tight. I've got a fist full of whiskey, the bottle just bit me. Ohh, that shit makes me bat shit crazy! We've got no fear, no doubt! All in, balls out! We're going out tonight, to kick out every light! Take anything we want, drink everything in sight! We're goin' until the world stops turnin', while we burn it to the ground tonight! Ohh, ohh, ohh! We're screamin' like demons, swingin' from the ceilin'! I got a fist full of fifties, tequila just hit me! Ohh, we got no class, no taste, no shirt and shit-faced! We got it lined up, shot down, firing back straight crown! We're goin' out tonight, to kick out every light, take anything we want, drink everything in sight! We're goin' until the world stops turnin' while we burn it to the ground tonight!_

The group was singing along to the song and laughing about their pranks, and Boost still hadn't noticed the switch. "This is great bass, DJ. Where'd you get the sound?" Sara asked.

"I bought all kinds of stuff, and plenty of subwoofers, man. All that stuff makes for pretty sweet sound, if you can't tell."

_Tickin' like a time bomb, drinkin' till the night's gone. Get your hands off of this glass, last call my ass. Well, no chain, no lock, and this train won't stop! We got no fear, no doubt, all in balls out! We're going out tonight, to kick out every light! Take anything we want, drink everything in sight! We're goin' till the world stops turnin' while we burn it to the ground tonight! We're goin' out tonight, to kick out every light! Take anything we want, drink everything in sight! We're goin' till the world stops turnin' while we burn it to the ground tonight! _

As the song's drumbeat stopped, Boost knocked on the door. "Yo! You three ready to go?"

Snot Rod opened the door to let Boost in.

"Sure! But hey, let's bring the kid along. She's pretty tight." DJ said, nudging Sara with a friendly tire. She grinned up at him, and Boost sighed.

"Fine, she can come. But if she falls asleep she's Snot Rod's responsibility."

"Yay! But wait, what about my brothers? We can't just leave them."

"All right, they can come too. Who knows, they might get us some babes."

"Babes?" Harry asked curiously.

"Yeah, babes love kids. So be as cute as possible if we spot some, got it?" Boost told them, and they nodded.

"All right, then let's bounce!" Boost declared, rolling out the door with the others following.

DJ put on the song 'Bass Down Low' by the Cataracts, and dropped the bass as he drove along behind Boost. Wingo drove behind DJ, his spoiler casting shadows on itself from the green flame coming out of his boost tank. Snot Rod brought up the back, his engine revving loudly with his supercharger amplifying it.

Sara, Harry, and Paul were driving along behind the group, discussing how much fun it was being up this late. The group soon came upon a caravan of tractor trailers, and three members of the gang shared evil glances. Snot Rod, however, suddenly sneezed loudly, sending himself flying up the center lane of the highway, startling the trucks on either side of him.

The three 'Cudas sped off after him, followed by the rest of the DRH. The group caught up to him, and he grinned sheepishly.

"Bless you!" Harry exclaimed, and the others chuckled.

"Thanks, Harry." Snot Rod sniffed.

"Yo, man, look! It's a station!" DJ exclaimed. Snot Rod rolled his eyes. DJ was _always_ pointing out gas stations.

"Let's roll." Boost replied, and the group headed for the station, however annoyed Boost was, even though he was trying to hide it. They parked in separate spots, and heard giggles. Boost looked and saw a group of four female cars, looking over at the group and giggling. Snot Rod nudged Harry, who in turn nudged the others.

"Okay, guys. Let's get cute." Harry said with a smile. "Daddy, can we play tag?" Harry asked loudly, and Snot Rod almost laughed.

"Sure. Just be careful."

"Thanks!" He exclaimed, hugging Snot Rod's tire before giggling and tagging Sara. "You're it!" He squealed, racing away and giggling.

"Look how cute they are." One of the cars whispered to another.

"Are we allowed to play, you three?" One of the girls asked, rolling over to Harry.

"Sure! But look out for Sara, she's it!" Harry exclaimed, giggling as Sara slid by him on her slicks.

"Tag! You're it!" Sara replied, tagging the girl in the side.

"You're Sara, huh? Nice to meet you." The car replied, smiling down at her.

Sara giggled, then replied, "Nice to meet you too!"

Boost was watching all this with interest, as was DJ and Wingo.

* * *

In Radiator Springs, the town was in a dejected sadness. There were no triplets chasing each other around the town for the others' amusement, and Mariana and Jack were lying on either side of Thunder, petting his sides halfheartedly. It seemed like Sarge was the most dejected of all, choosing to remain in his Hut the majority of the time. When he did come out, he was downcast and quiet.

He didn't even bother to snap at Fillmore when the VW bus nudged his side with a tire. Fillmore, it seemed, was the only one who wasn't as sad as the rest. He merely acted somber at the news of the triplets leaving, then returned to his usual carefree ways.

Besides Sarge, the only one to match his level of sadness was Thunder. His tail hadn't wagged since they discovered the three had decided to go find their father. He moped around the town, trying to help the others to keep his mind off things. Today, nobody had any work that they needed help with, so he was lying at Flo's beside Lightning and Jack with Mariana on his other side, thinking about Paul, Harry, and Sara. He whimpered softly, and Lightning petted his back absentmindedly. Thunder nuzzled his tire, and he jumped slightly. He looked down at Thunder, seeing how dejected he looked.

"Why don't you guys go play fetch?"

Thunder shook his head sadly, but got up anyway. The two girls followed suit, and they went down to the Butte. It was a week before Christmas, and the group wasn't even playing in the snow that was heaped in mounds away from the track. Thunder had helped clear the track for Doc and Lightning, and it was almost impossible to see them over the large piles of snow at times. Thunder had made sure to heap some of the snow in front of the cactus patch, just in case Lightning hit a patch of ice and slid.

Now, he gathered the stick in his jaws halfheartedly, and brought it over to the girls. He dropped it in front of them, and Jack threw it first. He walked over to it and grabbed it, then walked with it back to them. He dropped it again, then Mariana threw it.

He walked after it again, dug it out of the snowpile it landed in, then grabbed it and walked back to the two. Jack threw it as far as she could, and Thunder walked after it, his tail limply hanging down. He slipped on a patch if ice, and fell down to his rump suddenly with a whimper. He got back up, and walked towards the stick again, his feet occasionally slipping out from underneath him.

He lowered his muzzle to the ground to scoop up the stick in his jaws, and his paws slid out from under him, sending him down to his stomach with a constricted yelp. "Thunder?" Mariana exclaimed, snapping to attention. She slid over to him, slipping a few times herself. "You all right?" She asked him, her voice filled with slight fear.

All he did was moan softly and set his head on the ice, moping. She assumed he was all right, and went to shove him back to his paws. He whimpered, and the sound that came out was little more then a wheeze. Mariana backed off, looking down at him worriedly. He stood up again after about five minutes unsteadily, and nudged Mariana. "Yeah, you're right. Let's just call it a day." She replied, and the two went over to get Jack before they headed back to the town.

Thunder moaned quietly as he walked alongside Mariana. Getting all the breath knocked out of one's lungs didn't feel good, and he had to find it out the hard way. He supposed that he'd feel better tomorrow, but at the moment, everything seemed to ache, whether from the cold, numbing wind or from the fall, he couldn't tell. When they got back to Flo's, Thunder slipped again, landing on his stomach for the second time that day.

This was a slightly less hurtful slip, as he was closer to the ground. Even so, he couldn't help letting out a tiny whimper. "You all right, buddy?" Lightning asked, reaching out a tire and petting Thunder. Thunder jumped as he felt freezing metal rub along his back, and instantly began shivering. Lightning withdrew his wheel as he felt Thunder start shivering, then picked him up again. Thunder yelped as he got a whole piece of freezing cold metal against his sides, and then it was gone.

Lightning tried to pin Thunder to his hood with a tire, but Thunder squirmed and whined, not knowing what Lightning was trying to do. Finally, Lightning gave up. "Thunder, just stay." Lightning sighed, and Thunder crawled back towards the center of Lightning's hood, laying his head down on Lightning's freezing hood and beginning to shiver almost immediately.

Lightning revved his engine loudly, scaring Thunder, who calmed down just as quickly when he felt the heat begin to rise up from Lightning's engine. He sighed contentedly, sprawling out, trying to soak up as much of the heat as he could, seeming to not hear the laughter of the others. Lightning revved his engine again, trying to keep it warm, and he too realized how cold it was outside.

It wasn't snowing, but it was bitterly windy. Mariana and Jack were snuggled against his fender, shaking slightly. "Come on you three, let's go inside." Lightning picked up Mariana and Jack, then departed Flo's, saying goodbye to the others. He heard an engine behind him, and turned around to see Sally following him.

"Hey." He greeted her, smiling.

She caught up to him and nuzzled his fender with one of her own. "Hey."

"What's wrong?" Lightning asked her.

"I was wondering if that three could become five?" She asked, looking at him and smiling.

"Sure." He grinned, then kissed her fender. The two drove to the door of Lightning's cone, and he opened the door, then reversed. "Ladies first."

"Since when did you become such a gentleman?" Sally teased, but she accepted his offer.

Lightning followed after her with Mariana, Jack, and Thunder. He set the three down in front of the heater, then went to find Sally. She was lounging on the couch, flipping through the channels on the television.

Lightning watched from the doorway as she took no notice of him, then said quite loudly, "Hey, Sal, whatcha watching?" He watched as she fumbled with the remote before catching it and setting it down.

"Stickers! You jerk!" She teased, slugging him playfully on the hood as he rolled over to her, laughing.

"Sorry, Sal, but I couldn't resist." He replied, driving onto the sofa with her and nuzzling her fender.

"Where did you put those three stooges?"

"By the heater. I'm not surprised if they don't move from that spot for the rest of the night." He replied, chuckling.

"They looked frozen to the frame." Sally agreed, snuggling up against Lightning as they watched one of their favorite movies, _Cujo_. The movie had just started, and they were settling into the couch quite nicely, snuggling or cuddling each other. The giant dog they used to portray Cujo seemed to be a nice enough dog, almost like Thunder. As the movie kept playing however, the dog was growing more and more vicious. Sally closed her eyes tightly when Cujo lunged for the neighbor taking out his trash. There was the sound of ripping metal and breaking glass, and when Sally dared to look again, she wished she hadn't.

Cujo was hidden in the basement, and his master's father was driving into the now dead neighbor's house, calling the car's name and Cujo's in turn. The living car came upon the dead body of his neighbor, flipped onto his roof and his innards ripped out, dripping oil on the tattered, moldy carpet that lined the front hallway in his rundown house. Now that he had found the dead body of his neighbor, an overweight Pacer in his mid-fifties, he just had to find his dog. Sally hid her face against Lightning's fender, and he cuddled her tightly, not looking away but remaining silent. There was a deep growling coming from the kitchen just beyond the car's body, and the battered Ford truck edged past, going into the kitchen, calling for the dog softly, not sure what to expect if he found the dog. The dog lunged out at him from the basement door, which was to the right of the entrance to the kitchen. The truck dodged, and the two flew to opposite sides of the room. For the first time, the truck was able to look at his son's dog. The large, growling beast was covered from head to paws in blood, mud, and dried saliva, which was dripping from his muzzle in large, foamy, white globs as he snarled at the truck.

"Oh, god. You're rabid, Cujo!" The truck exclaimed, then darted for the phone, trying to call for help.

The dog was slightly faster, and lunged for the truck. The sound of the truck's screams couldn't be heard by the Ford Pinto and her toddler-aged son as they pulled up to the truck's residence, trying to get herself fixed before her husband got home from his business trip. Her battery would cut out whenever she went up hills, or drove faster then 75 miles an hour. She had brought her son along to see the 'big doggy' as he called Cujo, but mainly because there was nobody else to watch him. Suddenly, midway on the truck's property, the mother's battery cut out again, rendering her unable to move.

"Hello? Is there anybody here?" She called, knowing that the truck usually worked in his barn on others that needed fixing.

An object came running out of the barn, but it wasn't the truck. It was Cujo, who was able to hear the two as they pulled up to his fortress, and bolted away from tearing out the Ford truck's innards so he could rage war against any new cars who wouldn't leave him alone.

"Cujo!" The little boy Pinto exclaimed happily, but as the dog drew nearer, his mother scooped her son up quickly, then put him onto her roof, trying to protect him. Cujo charged at them sideways, and rammed headfirst into the larger Pinto's side, leaving a large dent that was smeared with blood. The hit had knocked the dog off its feet, and he got back up, snarling up at the little Pinto before stalking off to lie under the porch stairs, away from the heat.

At this point, Sally wasn't watching the movie, but instead pinned to Lightning's side, her windshield shut tightly. Thunder entered the room, whimpering softly. He came over to Sally, then laid his head on her hood. Startled, she opened her eyes to see a black silhouette that looked like a dog's head on her hood, and she heard growling coming from its direction. She scrambled backwards, gasping slightly. Thunder whimpered, then the light from the television caught his eye, and he turned to look just as Cujo lunged straight towards the camera, his jaws open wide.

Thunder squealed, then leaped onto Lightning's hood, scrambling behind him, trying to get under the cushions. Lightning looked from Sally, who looked like she had seen a ghost, to the tip of Thunder's tail, and sighed. "Thunder, come on out. I don't want to squish you."

"Th-That was Thunder?" Sally asked, shaking slightly.

"Yeah, he dove under the cushions when that dog flashed across the screen."

Sally relaxed, then helped Lightning pull Thunder out. Once he was out from his hiding spot, he turned tail and fled the room as though a pack of treats was waiting in the other room. Lightning rolled his eyes, then snuggled up next to Sally, cuddling her. Thunder was back a few minutes later, creeping into the room, hugging the walls, his whole body held down low.

"Thunder, don't be a scaredy-cat. It's just a movie." Lightning laughed, and Thunder jumped about a foot in the air. He jumped onto Lightning's hood, and made as if to squirm his way under the cushion again, but Lightning grabbed hold of him and plopped him onto the floor. "Thunder, if you want to watch the movie with us, then stay down there, all right?"

Lightning didn't sound mad, but Thunder knew that he was getting annoyed. He laid down on the floor, and placed his paws over his eyes, waiting for the movie to be over.

When it was over, Thunder cautiously looked around, seeing a different show on. He got up, and just as he was about to leave, Lightning and Sally each ran over his tail. He squealed loudly, and leapt into the air as though he had been shocked by a cattle prod.

"Ohh, sorry Thunder!" Came two voices, then there was the crushing pain again at his tail as they both tried to reverse backwards over his tail.

Thunder squealed even louder, then took off like a shot through the house. He raced back to the heater, where he laid down to look at his tail. It was crushed and bent in a few different places, and he whimpered. It really, really, really, _really_ hurt. He fled into the darkest corner of the room that he could find, then drifted to sleep.

In the morning, he moaned, then tried to get up.

"No, stay."

Thunder laid back down, and opened his eyes.

He saw Lightning, Jack, and Sally in the room, watching him. He whimpered piteously, and Lightning and Sally's expressions turned from ones of worry into ones of sorrow.

"The good news is that it isn't broken, just crushed." Doc announced, startling Thunder.

"How is that good news?" Lightning asked, and Sally quickly shushed him.

Doc sighed. "Broken woulda made his tail look like it had a perfect angle in it. Crushed just means it's... for lack of a better word... crushed." Doc replied, then left the room, Lightning following after, while Sally remained behind.

She drove over to Thunder and petted him gently. "We really are sorry, Thunder. It doesn't hurt too badly, does it?"

Thunder tried to wag his tail to show her he was fine, but he got about a wag and a half out of it before it began aching. He whimpered, then set his muzzle down on the ground after looking at his bandaged tail.

Sally petted him gently, and he nuzzled her wheel before setting his head down again. Jack came in, dragging what appeared to be Mariana's blanket, Mariana holding the other end of the blanket. "Here, Thunder." Mariana said, then she and Jack laid the blanket over him, laying down at his side. He nuzzled the two girls, then curled up and fell asleep again.

When he next woke up, it was late afternoon, and he was starving. He moaned quietly, starting to get to his feet. His head began spinning, and he fell to his rump, then yelped as a bolt of pain went up his tail. "Thunder, what's wrong?" Mariana came into the room hurriedly, looking at him worriedly. He whimpered, and she petted him gently, resting her fender against his side gently.

He nuzzled her hood, and Mariana smiled. "I love you too, dad." She didn't care what Jack said, Thunder was the father she never had. He was always there for her, and he would do anything to protect her. He got up again, and his head began spinning again. He stood there for a few minutes, his head hanging down, trying to get it to stop spinning.

Finally, it stopped, and he looked up again. He nudged Mariana, then walked out of the room, limping stiffly.

**Awww, poor Thunder. :( Anyways, what did you guys think of the part with the triplets' acting skills? xD**


	32. Weird Snores and Evil Baths

His paws were all past the point of being numb, and had fallen asleep. He headed for the door of the cone, and when he opened it, he instantly slid down the ramp onto the ice, going face first into a snowpile. He sighed, then scrambled back to his feet, shaking the snow from his fur.

Mariana came outside, slipping slightly as she drove over to him. He whined softly, then tried to walk over to Flo's, promptly sending his paws into a flying, slipping frenzy before he fell to the ice again. "You okay?" Mariana asked, helping him up again.

He gave her a glance that plainly said, "I want to go back inside now."

"You were the one who walked out here by yourself, silly." She replied, and got a sigh for an answer. He remembered how hungry he was, and started off towards Flo's, his paws slipping out from underneath him the whole way. With one last comically accidental tumble from the ice, he ended up at Lightning's side, on his stomach again. He wheezed out a sigh, then laid his head down on the icy surface, shaking slightly.

"Ice ain't his favorite." Sheriff pointed out, making the others all chuckle guiltily.

Lightning picked up Thunder, who yelped in surprise as the cold metal at his sides returned, and Lightning winced before setting him on his hood. He revved his engine again, and Thunder rolled onto his side, moaning softly. Lightning chuckled, then returned to sipping his coffee. Thunder drowsily looked up from Lightning's hood to see who was petting him, and saw a tire. He moaned sleepily, then licked the tire.

"Thunder, that's gross." Sally replied, taking her wheel away as the others chuckled.

"Looks like that mutt's ready to fall asleep!" Lizzie pointed out, and it was so late that the others laughed. Thunder's head came up with a jerk, looking around at the others, then slowly it fell back to Lightning's hood. His head jerked up again, only to fall back down slowly. After he repeated this a few times, Lightning said, "Thunder go to sleep." He revved his engine again, and the increased warmth made Thunder's head droop back down to Lightning's hood again.

It didn't jerk back up again, and the others guessed that he had fallen asleep. He snored quietly, and Lightning grinned, snickering quietly.

"What's so funny?" Sally whispered.

"Listen." He replied, and the two grew silent, Lightning barely containing his snickering. Sally heard Thunder snoring quietly, and snickered as well. "It's not even a normal snore, either. It's more of a growl." Lightning whispered, giggling quietly like a schoolboy.

"What's so funny?" Mariana whispered, and Lightning shushed her.

"Listen."

Thunder snored again, and Mariana barely held in a giggle. "Why is that funny?" She asked quietly, giggling quietly. Lightning shrugged, looking back at Thunder, whose paws were twitching along with his nose.

"What's with him?" Sarge asked, seeing Thunder's paws twitching.

"He's probably chasin' a rabbit or a squirrel, man." Fillmore replied, watching Thunder roll over and continue sleeping.

"That mutt is weird." Sarge muttered, going back to his drink.

Lightning watched Thunder sleeping, snickering when he started snoring again. This time, the snores were loud enough that the others heard it.

"What _is_ that?" Sheriff asked Doc. "It sounds like a sick bear."

Lightning tried not to laugh, then pointed to Thunder. "He's not exactly a sick bear, but he's just as furry."

"That can't be him. He hardly ever snores." Sheriff pointed out.

"It's him. He was doing it before, just quieter." Lightning replied, shaking with suppressed laughter.

"Yo, he's right. It does sound like a sick bear." Ramone replied, chuckling.

Mariana tried not to giggle, but she couldn't help it. The sound was so unusual, it was hysterical. "He must be really sleepy if he's snoring." Mariana said, looking up at Thunder.

"You said it." Lightning said softly.

About an hour later, Thunder yawned widely, rolling over onto his stomach. "Morning, bear." Lightning said, laughing. Thunder just laid his muzzle on Lightning's hood again and fell asleep again.

"How do you like that? Awake for two seconds and he gets tired already." Flo laughed softly.

"He's not staying asleep for long, that's for sure." Lightning said.

"Oh, don't Lightning. Let him sleep." Sally pleaded, but Lightning grinned wickedly. He revved his engine loudly, startling Thunder awake.

Thunder laid his ears back and whimpered, slightly annoyed.

Lightning laughed, then said. "Come on, you've been asleep pretty much the whole day."

Thunder just sighed, then jumped down from Lightning's hood and trotted over to lay down by Sally. He was asleep again within minutes, and Lightning laughed. Sally giggled, looking down at Thunder's sprawled form.

Red looked down at Thunder, then nudged Lightning. He raised his hose questioningly, and pointed it towards Thunder.

"No, just try your horn. You might freeze him to the ground."

Red nodded, then blared his horn loudly, parking next to Thunder. Thunder bolted up like a shot, his paws scrambling on the pavement as he bolted. He reached the road, and began slipping instantly, his paws going in different directions. He slid down to his rump a few times, looking around wildly.

The others laughed, and he realized what had happened. He slipped and slid his way back over to Flo's, remembering that he was hungry. He sat up and begged, laying his ears back and giving Lightning the best begging face he had ever used. Lightning laughed, then told him, "No, you're not coming up on my hood if you want to sleep." Thunder whined, then laid down, rolling over onto his back. Mariana petted him gently, and Thunder licked her.

"Maybe he's hungry?" Mariana asked, and Thunder popped up, barking happily, and whining eagerly. He licked Mariana, trying to wag his tail. He got a few wags out of it before it started aching, so he stopped fairly quickly.

"That's as good an answer as any!" Lightning laughed.

Flo disappeared into her café and returned a few minutes later with a steak for him, laughing. "Here, you silly boy." She said, setting the steak down for him.

It was gone in the blink of an eye.

Lightning looked from the spot the steak had been, then at Thunder, a slightly horrified expression in his eyes. "Did you even _taste_ the steak?" He asked, amid the others' laughter. Thunder just laid down for another nap.

"It was there one second, now it's gone. That's all I know." Flo laughed.

"I didn't think he was that hungry." Mariana admitted, giggling.

"I swear, he swallowed it whole." Sarge replied, surprised out of his grumpiness.

"As fast as he ate it, I wouldn't doubt it, man." Fillmore drawled.

Thunder fell asleep again, snoring quietly.

"He's snoring again." Mariana poked Lightning in the tire, and he snickered. Thunder's snores grew gradually louder, and just as Mack pulled up, Thunder rolled over onto his side, so the snores sounded even more like a sick bear growling.

"What is that?" Mack asked, looking around.

"Him." Mariana replied, pointing to Thunder.

Mack laughed, then replied, "He sounds like a sick bear growling." The others all muttered their agreement, then went back to their drinks.

* * *

Back in Drag City, the triplets, Snot Rod, Wingo, DJ, and Boost were chasing each other around in Snot Rod's yard and wrestling playfully.

"Today was so much fun." Sara yawned, laying down on DJ's hood.

"I guess it was kinda fun, man." DJ replied, smiling at her.

"I don't ever want to leave here." Harry said, yawning as he laid down on Boost's hood. Boost looked down at Harry, smiling as Harry curled up. He had to admit, they were really funny.

Paul, the only one still awake, was busy being chased around by Wingo, who was slowly tiring. "Don't you ever get tired, kid?" Wingo panted as he slowed down a little.

"Not too often. At least he'll sleep later tomorrow." Snot Rod laughed, watching as Wingo finally caught Paul and pinned him to the ground playfully with a tire.

"Heey! That tickles!" Paul exclaimed as he tried to squirm out from under Wingo's tire, giggling.

"I ain't doin' anythin', man! It's all you!" Wingo shot back, laughing.

"Wait, wait, I gotta sneeze!" Paul exclaimed. He sneezed, and shot out from underneath Wingo's tire.

Wingo watched him shoot down the yard, staring dumbly. "That kid can fly!" Wingo told Snot Rod, who laughed.

"He sure can!"

"Whoops!" Was heard, then a loud crash and a giggle.

"_That_ can't mean anythin' good, man." Wingo said, and the group went over to investigate.

There was Paul, sitting in a mess of garbage, and giggling. "What happened, kid?" Wingo asked.

"I scared a cat, and it tipped the can over onto me!" Paul replied, looking up at them and giggling, an opened, not completely empty drum of coffee on his roof, the coffee running down his sides and windshield, among other pieces of garbage.

"Now you need a bath."

"A bath?" Just like that, Paul was gone.

"Where'd he go?" DJ asked, astounded. They looked and looked for him, and finally found him, hiding under a bush.

"I hate baths!" He exclaimed, kicking his tires out in a pathetic attempt to get free as Wingo picked him up.

"Too bad, man. Ya smell like a coffee shop, among other stuff." Wingo replied, holding Paul even more tightly as he began wriggling, trying to get free. Once he realized that escape was futile, he let himself be doused in water, pouting the whole time. When he no longer smelled like rotting garbage, he decided that he had enough, and grabbed the hose in a flash from DJ, giggling.

"Nooo! My CDs!" DJ wailed, racing back towards the house, realizing what Paul was about to do. He fled about as fast as he could, and not a moment too soon.

Snot Rod dodged the first spray of water, but not the second. Laughing, he chased after Paul, who sprayed him with the hose, giggling wildly. Boost set Harry down near DJ, then went back to join Wingo, Snot Rod, and Paul, getting a large amount right to the face. "Hey!" He exclaimed in surprise, then tried to playfully wrestle the hose from Paul, laughing.

"Nooo!" Paul squealed, giggling wildly. Water was flying everywhere as the end of the hose was being wrestled for.

After a few hours, they shut the hose off, and started to go back inside. "MUD!" Paul exclaimed from behind the other three, and they turned around in shock to find Paul jumping hood first into the mud puddle. He popped up, giggling. Luckily, it was very watery mud, so it wasn't messy. "Aww, this mud isn't muddy enough." Paul said, getting out of the puddle and pouting.

"At least he's still clean." Wingo muttered as Paul rejoined them. They shook the water from their frames, then went inside. "Your kids are nuts, man." Wingo told Snot Rod, laughing.

"You're telling me." Snot Rod replied, laughing.

"See ya later, Squirt." DJ said, gently bumping tires with Sara.

"Bye, Deege." She replied.

He gave her a playful roof noogie, making her giggle, then departed.

"See ya tomorrow, kid." Wingo told Paul, who giggled as Wingo gently cuffed his blower. He left soon after DJ, and Boost smirked at Harry, who was laying in a chair, curled up like a cat.

"See ya, man." Boost called, and Harry shot out of the chair, leaping onto Boost's hood. Boost leapt backwards, startled. Harry giggled, hugging Boost's hood. "Yeah, yeah, enough with the mushy stuff." Boost replied, but he laughed all the same. Harry got down off Boost's hood, and received a friendly nudge in the side. "See ya, Snot." Boost said, then departed.

Snot Rod gathered the three up, and they drove up the ramp together, yawning sleepily. They each went to their spots in the guest bedroom, snuggling down under the blankets they used. "Goodnight, guys." Snot Rod said softly.

"Goodnight, dad." Came three replies, and the three fell asleep quickly, tired out from their day of playing with Wingo, Boost, and DJ, not to mention Snot Rod. Snot Rod went into his room and fell asleep fairly quickly as well.

Before long, the house was quiet.

Paul sighed in his sleep, curled up in a corner of the room.

Sara sprawled out a little more in her spot under the bed, dreaming of floating on a sea of grass.

Harry awoke slightly from his spot in the closet, nestled in a bed of blankets at a cricket chirping loudly, then sighed and fell asleep again.

When morning came, Sara awoke to see the sun shining brightly in her eyes. She blinked sleepily, trying to rid herself of the bright light. When it didn't go away, she turned around and went back to sleep, moaning softly.

Snot Rod awoke a few minutes later, and made his way into their room. He spotted Sara's back bumper poking out from underneath the bed, her tires sprawled out and snickered quietly.

He looked to Paul, and found him still asleep also, laying on his side.

Lastly, he looked to Harry, seeing him still asleep, his blower and hood partially covered with one of the blankets that formed his nest.

He almost laughed at the sight, then rolled out of the room quietly, not wanting to wake them. He went down the ramp, into the kitchen to get the paper from the doorway. "They must've been tired if they're all still asleep." He said to himself as he read through the newspaper.

**Yeah, I know, long chapter, I hope this makes up for the weekend of no updates. :)**


	33. The Triplets' Day With the DRH

About a hour later, he heard them come down the ramp, yawning and mumbling. "For once, I was up before you three." He said, chuckling.

Sara promptly yawned, falling to the floor. "Ohh." She said around another yawn.

Paul and Harry giggled, then went over to Snot Rod, asking what they were going to do today. At that moment, there was a bang at the door.

Sara opened it, and gasped happily. She leaped out the doorway, onto DJ's hood, giggling. "DJ!" Was heard all the way in the kitchen as she giggled. The boys all went to the door and saw DJ parked in the front yard as Sara slid off his hood.

"Hey, Squirt. You wanna hang today?"

"You bet I do!"

"Cool, then let's go to my crib." He said, nodding a hello to the three boys. They drove off, Sara still giggling and bouncing around happily.

Boost pulled up a few minutes later, and Harry raced for him, giggling. Boost rolled back slightly, startled as Harry landed on his hood. "What's up, man?" He asked Harry, who giggled.

"Hi, Boost! What were you gonna do today? I bet I'll win in a race!"

"You probably would, man. Should we see?"

"Yeah! Let's do it!"

"All right." Boost thought for a minute, then looked to Snot Rod. "They eat anything yet?"

Snot Rod shook his hood. "All I've got is coffee, and I'm definitely _not_ giving Paul any."

"Hey, Harry. How's this for a wager, man. Whoever loses this race has to cook for the winner."

"You're on!" Harry exclaimed, knowing he was going to win.

"I'll be the flagger, I guess." Snot Rod grinned.

Boost and Harry lined up at the edge of Snot Rod's driveway, each revving their engine.

"On your marks... Get set... GO!" Snot Rod called out, watching as the two zoomed past him, Boost intentionally going slower then Harry. "Did you want to hang out here today, or go with your brother or sister?" Snot Rod asked with a chuckle to Paul, the only remaining triplet.

"I wanna stay here and wrestle, dad!" With that, Paul flew around the house to the backyard.

Snot Rod rolled his eyes and followed. There, he found Paul jumping hoodfirst into the mud puddle again, and this time, it was really thick mud. Paul popped up out of the mud, giggling and looking triumphantly at Snot Rod, who rolled his eyes again and laughed. He heard a voice calling from the front yard, and went to go see who it was.

Wingo was parked at the curb. "Yo, Snot! Paul around anywhere?"

"Out back." Snot Rod said with a grin. Wingo followed Snot Rod into the backyard just in time to see Paul dive into the thick, gooey mud puddle.

"Hi, Wingo!"

"Do ya know how muddy you're gettin', man?"

"Yeah, that's why it's fun!" Paul replied promptly, looking up at Wingo, mud obscuring his windshield. He wiped it out of the way to see Wingo, who cracked up.

"Just don't eat it." Snot Rod said, shaking his hood in defeat.

"I'm gonna make a mud pie!"

"Go nuts, kid." Wingo said, laughing.

"Wingo, can you help make the mud pie?"

"Fine. What do ya need for the pie, man?" He sighed.

"We need worms."

"WORMS?" Wingo repeated, repulsed.

"Yeah, worms. For texture." Paul explained solemnly.

"All right. It is your pie, after all." Wingo forced a smile, then went to go get worms. He came back with a few, wiping the slime off his tires. "There ya go. Three worms."

"Oh, goody! Thanks!"

"What's next?"

"Grass."

"That's much better." Wingo went to a corner of the yard where there was long grass, and gathered some. He came back to Paul, who nodded and sprinkled the grass over the worms and mud in his tires. "Anything else?"

"Dirt."

"But it's a mud pie. It's made of dirt!"

"No, it's made of mud, worms, grass, and dirt."

Wingo sighed, then reluctantly went to get some dirt for the mud pie.

He got a wheelful of dirt, then brought it back to Paul, who nodded approvingly. "Sprinkle it on top." Paul instructed, and Wingo scattered the dirt across the top of the worms, grass, and mud. "Now it's finished! Oh, wait! I have to pat it down so it looks more like a pie." Paul sat down in the mud puddle, covered in mud, his tiny tongue sticking slightly out of his mouth in concentration as he patted the mud pie down to the right height.

Snot Rod and Wingo laughed at the scene, and Paul finally declared, "Ready!" He drove out of the puddle, dripping mud, and deposited it in front of Snot Rod. "It's for you, dad."

"Thanks. You did a good job." Snot Rod offered Paul a bewildered smile, and got a giggle in return.

Wingo was laughing hysterically, and Snot Rod's grin became more crafty. He beckoned to Paul with a tire, and the two huddled together, whispering and giggling. "Fire!" Paul called out suddenly, launching his mud pie at Wingo, who was still laughing.

His face contorted into a look of horror and disgust as the mud pie landed on his hood, one of the worms still wriggling halfheartedly after the impact.

Snot Rod and Paul exploded with laughter, collapsing on the ground. Wingo stared in disgust at the worm, then his grin became crafty also.

"You two asked for it!" He exclaimed, and tossed a glob of mud at Paul and Snot Rod. He hit both, and exclaimed triumphantly.

"Get him, Paul!" Snot Rod exclaimed as Paul dove back into the mud puddle and began tossing globs of mud at Wingo, laughing wildly.

Wingo dove into the puddle and began slinging mud back at Paul.

Snot Rod shrugged, then jumped into the puddle to start slinging mud with them.

* * *

Harry had won the race, and now he and Boost were playing a video game, after eating an omelette each. "I wonder what my dad and Paul are doing?" Harry wondered aloud as he pressed the 'b' button repeatedly, shooting off a laser beam.

"Not sure. Better be careful, that zombie's right behind you, man!" Boost exclaimed, and Harry directed his player around so he could shoot the zombie.

* * *

Sara and DJ were looking through old boxes of records that he had found in his attic. "Ever hear of this one?" Sara called to DJ, who was on the other side of the room.

"What's it called?"

"Shake Your Groove Thing."

DJ's hood popped around a pile of boxes, slight disgust in his eyes. "_Whaaat_?" He replied, hoping that what he had heard wasn't what the song title was.

"Shake Your Groove Thing. It's by Peaches and Herb?" Sara said, doubt in her voice.

"There's a record player downstairs, bring it with us. We'll listen to it later." DJ replied, and Sara nodded, putting the record back into its cover.

They trooped back downstairs, bringing the record they had found, along with a couple of others that looked interesting. "Which one should we play first?" Sara asked.

"Hmm... how about that one ya found, man?" DJ asked, and Sara nodded. She gently pulled the record out of its cover, and placed it on the record player. DJ turned it on, and a crackly burst of static made them wince. The music replaced the static, and they discovered that the song was some sort of 60's Disco music.

"This sounds like the kind of stuff Fillmore would listen to." Sara said, listening.

"Who knows, man? He might have it for all we know." DJ said, not really sure who 'Fillmore' was. "You wanna go see what your brothers are doin', man?" DJ asked, and Sara smiled.

"Sure!"

They departed DJ's house, which looked like a nightclub, and left for Snot Rod's house.

* * *

On the way there, they met up with Boost and Harry. "Hi, Harry!" Sara exclaimed, playfully pinning him.

"Hi, Sara!" He giggled.

The group made their way to Snot Rod's house, and heard shouting and laughter coming from the backyard. They drove around back and found Wingo, Snot Rod, and Paul in the middle of throwing globs of mud at each other.

Mud was flying everywhere, and DJ fled for the safety of the porch, Sara squealed as a large glob of mud hit her roof, covering her in it, and Boost was dodging the mud like he was in a video game, Harry trying to copy him.

Sara raced into the mud puddle and got some of the mud, beginning to throw it at every one she could set her sights on. "Hey!" Wingo exclaimed in surprise as Sara landed one right on his windshield.

"Nice shot!" Boost exclaimed, making her giggle.

The general speed of mud flying through the air decreased after that, until it stopped completely, aside from occasional globs being thrown by the two small 'Cudas.

"Were you three back here all day?"

Wingo, Snot Rod, and Paul were completely covered from bumper to bumper with mud. "Yeah, we sure were! It was fun!" Paul spoke up, then he made a weird face. "Eeeww, I think I ate some mud..."

The others laughed hard at his tone, and he looked around. "I'm not kidding, I really think I did."

"I wouldn't expect any less." Snot Rod sighed, rolling his eyes to the sky, but seeing nothing but mud. "We're really muddy." He said, seeing Wingo and Paul. He could only imagine what he looked like.

"Yeah, you should see yourself if you think we're muddy! You look like ya were rolling around in it, man!" Wingo exclaimed, laughing.

"Oh, yeah?" Snot Rod asked tauntingly, then scooped up more mud and tossed it at Wingo. It sailed over his roof.

"Ha, ya missed me!"

"Look again, dude." Snot Rod said with a grin.

Wingo's face went from confused to horrified, and he looked frantically into his rearview mirror to see the fresh mud dripping and oozing down his large wing. "Noo!" He wailed, falling to the ground in despair.

The others laughed, even DJ, who was watching from the safety of the porch. Wingo launched a large glob of the mud right onto Snot Rod's blower.

"Ah..Ah..ACHOO!" he sneezed loudly, shooting flames out his tailpipes.

"Bless you!" Paul replied, plopping down into the mud puddle and sending even more mud everywhere. He giggled, and tried to splash the others, who quickly dodged.

"Let's get these four cleaned up." Boost said to Harry, who giggled and went to get the hose.

Wingo and Snot Rod washed the mud away, then Snot Rod held Paul while Wingo hosed him off.

Sara stood patiently while Snot Rod hosed her off, then swiped the hose from him in an instant, grinning wickedly. The others scattered quickly, except Harry and Boost. She charged for them, laughing as she got them both wet. They just stood there, unfazed.

"What? It's just water, man." Boost replied, and Sara pouted.

"Fine. You two are no fun." She mumbled, and Boost tickled her.

"How about now?" He snickered as she squealed, dropped the hose and started giggling wildly. "Quick, man! Get the hose!" Boost exclaimed to Harry, who leaped at it.

"Got it!"

"Go get DJ." Boost told Harry in a low voice, and Harry grinned wickedly. Boost nodded, and Harry took off with the hose after DJ, who had parked on the porch.

"Noo!" He exclaimed, racing out into the yard, and unknowingly towards the mud puddle. He saw it before it was too late and froze, his tires sliding on the wet grass. He slid straight into the mud puddle, wailing about his CDs.

Harry, Paul, and Sara pushed him out, and surveyed the damage. He didn't get any of his CDs dirty, and just the bottom of his frame and his wheels got muddy. Snickering, Snot Rod handed the hose off to Sara, who washed the mud off DJ.

After, they all said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

* * *

"It's nearly been a week, Sara. What are we gonna do? Stay here, or go back?" Paul asked later when they were all in their room.

"Dad's a really nice guy, and his friends are really nice too. I don't want to make them sad by leaving, but yet I miss Mater, and Sarge, and everyone else back in our town."

"Us too." the boys replied sadly.

"Maybe we could convince Dad and his friends to come live with us?" Harry said hopefully.

"Maybe, Harry. Now, come on you guys, let's go to sleep." Sara said, and each fell asleep in their favorite spot.

Little did they know, Snot Rod had been listening to their conversation from the hallway. He sighed sadly, and went to his room, thinking about what to do. He fell asleep shortly after, then woke up at midnight, the time he was supposed to meet the others. He rolled quietly down the ramp, and out the door.

**Hi, everyone! I'm in the process of typing When Worlds Collide, so look for that one soon! In the meantime, next up is NEIWICUTB! Hope those of you who have school do well this year, and that it isn't too difficult! **


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